536 results about "Breast tissue" patented technology

A core sampling biopsy device is compatible with use in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) environment by being driven by either a pneumatic rotary motor or a piezoelectric drive motor. The core sampling biopsy device obtains a tissue sample, such as a breast tissue biopsy sample, for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. The biopsy device may include an outer cannula having a distal piercing tip, a cutter lumen, a side tissue port communicating with the cutter lumen, and at least one fluid passageway disposed distally of the side tissue port. The inner cutter may be advanced in the cutter lumen past the side tissue port to sever a tissue sample.

Methods, systems, and kits for treating breast tissue rely on transferring energy to or from cells lining an individual breast duct. Energy can be introduced into the breast duct, e.g., by filling the duct with an electrically conductive medium and applying radiofrequency energy to the medium. Other energy forms could also be used, such as light, ultrasound, radiation, microwave energy, heat, cold, direct current, and the like. By treating individual breast ducts, cancerous and pre-cancerous conditions originating in the duct can be effectively treated.

A biopsy device and method are provided for obtaining a tissue sample, such as a breast tissue biopsy sample. The biopsy device includes a disposable probe assembly with an outer cannula having a distal piercing tip, a cutter lumen, and a cutter tube that rotates and translates past a side aperture in the outer cannula to sever a tissue sample. The biopsy device also includes a reusable hand piece with an integral motor and power source to make a convenient, untethered control for use with ultrasonic imaging. The reusable hand piece incorporates a probe oscillation mode to assist when inserting the distal piercing tip into tissue. External vacuum holes along the outer cannula (probe) that communicate with a vacuum and cutter lumen withdraw bodily fluids while a hemostatic disk-shaped ring pad around the probe applies compression to an external hole in the skin and absorbs fluids.

A biopsy device and method are provided for obtaining a tissue sample, such as a breast tissue biopsy sample. The biopsy device includes a disposable probe assembly with an outer cannula having a distal piercing tip, a cutter lumen, and a cutter tube that rotates and translates past a side aperture in the outer cannula to sever a tissue sample. The biopsy device also includes a reusable hand piece with an integral motor and power source to make a convenient, untethered control for use with ultrasonic imaging. The reusable hand piece incorporates a probe oscillation mode to assist when inserting the distal piercing tip into tissue. A straw stacking assembly is automatically positioned by the reusable hand piece to retract multiple samples with a single probe insertion as well as giving a visual indication to the surgeon of the number of samples that have been taken.

A biopsy device and method are provided for obtaining a tissue sample, such as a breast tissue biopsy sample. The biopsy device includes a disposable probe assembly with an outer cannula having a distal piercing tip, a cutter lumen, and a cutter tube that rotates and translates past a side aperture in the outer cannula to sever a tissue sample. The biopsy device also includes a reusable handpiece with an integral motor and power source to make a convenient, untethered control for use with ultrasonic imaging. The reusable handpiece incorporates a probe oscillation mode to assist when inserting the distal piercing tip into tissue. The motor also actuates an attached sample revolver drum assembly in coordination with movement of the cutter tube to provide sequentially stored tissue samples in a sample storage bandolier that is rotated about a revolver cylindrical drum.

A system uses reduced pressure to provide a therapeutic force to a person's breast area. The system includes a dressing assembly shaped and configured to be placed on the breast area, a releaseable circumferential connector for holding the dressing assembly against at least a portion of the breast area, and a sealing subsystem for providing a fluid seal over the dressing assembly against a person's epidermis. The system may further include a reduced-pressure subsystem for providing reduced pressure to the dressing assembly. When reduced pressure is supplied, the system generates a force against at least a portion of the breast area of the person. The dressing assembly may be formed as a brassiere having a first cup and a second cup formed from a bolster material.

A preformed, seamless, three-dimensional, anatomically contoured prosthetic device for reinforcing breast tissue and supporting a breast implant includes a flat back wall, a concave front wall and a curved transitional region between the flat back wall and the front wall defining a smoothly curved bottom periphery. A concave receiving space is defined by the back wall and the front wall for at least partially receiving and supporting the breast implant therein. The three-dimensional prosthetic device is free of wrinkles, creases, folds or seams, which may have otherwise caused potential tissue irritation, bacteria hosting, infection and palpability problems.

Mastopexy and breast reconstruction prostheses and implantation method that allow for radiographic imaging of the breast tissue. The prostheses are arcuate and elongate optionally meshed to conform with breast tissue when implanted. Prostheses are made from naturally occurring extracellular matrix, primarily collagen, that, allows for mammographic imaging without interference as is expected from synthetic materials.

A biopsy device and method are provided for obtaining a tissue sample, such as a breast tissue biopsy sample. The biopsy device includes a disposable probe assembly with an outer cannula having a distal piercing tip, a cutter lumen, and a cutter tube that rotates and translates past a side aperture in the outer cannula to sever a tissue sample. The biopsy device also includes a reusable handpiece with an integral motor and power source to make a convenient, untethered control for use with ultrasonic imaging. The reusable handpiece incorporates a probe oscillation mode to assist when inserting the distal piercing tip into tissue. The motor also actuates a vacuum syringe in coordination with movement of the cutter tube to provide vacuum assistance in prolapsing tissue and retracting tissue samples.

An image processing system and method visually documents and displays changes between historical and later mammographic images, preferably in three dimensions. A composite image is created which visually emphasizes temporal differences between the historical and later images. Preferably three-dimensional, digitized images, displayable in various projections, are stored for archival purposes on computer readable media. An image processor preferably exploits an optical correlator to register the historical and later images accurately and provide correlation values as temporal scalars of the differences. The registered images are then compared, voxel-by-voxel, to detect temporal differences. The composite image is displayed with synthetic colors or other visual clues to emphasize apparent changes (for example, tumor growth or shrinkage).

Medical devices and methods are provided for a minimally-invasive mastoplasty procedure. In the procedure, barbed sutures are used to accomplish a nipple-lift by deploying the sutures cranially from the nipple-areolar complex to stable anatomical features higher on the chest. Additional barbed sutures may be used to accomplish a breast-lift and/or breast contouring by deploying the sutures caudally from stable anatomical features into the breast tissue.

A biopsy device is provided for obtaining a tissue sample, such as a breast tissue biopsy sample. The biopsy device includes a disposable probe assembly with an outer cannula having a distal piercing tip, a cutter lumen, and a cutter tube that rotates and translates past a side aperture in the outer cannula to sever a tissue sample. The biopsy device also includes a reusable handpiece with an integral motor and power source to make a convenient, untethered control for use with ultrasonic imaging. The reusable handpiece incorporates a probe oscillation mode to assist when inserting the distal piercing tip into tissue. An integral vacuum motor assists prolapsing tissue for effective severing as well as facilitating withdrawal of the tissue samples and bodily fluids from the biopsy site into a detachable, self-contained canister for transporting the separated biopsy samples and fluid for pathology assessment, avoiding biohazards in a clinical setting.

A biopsy device and method are provided for obtaining a tissue sample, such as a breast tissue biopsy sample. The biopsy device may include an outer cannula having a distal piercing tip, a cutter lumen, a side tissue port communicating with the cutter lumen, and at least one fluid passageway disposed distally of the side tissue port. The inner cutter may be advanced in the cutter lumen past the side tissue port to sever a tissue sample. After the tissue sample is severed, and before the inner cutter is retracted proximally of the side tissue port, the cutter may be used to alternately cover and uncover the fluid passageway disposed distally of the side tissue.

One or more surgical instruments provide access to delicate tissue, such as brain tissue or breast tissue, through a transcutaneous incision, for a variety of reasons, such as to access a surgical site for providing a working channel for accessing delicate tissue by surgical instruments, to provide access to insert an inflatable prosthesis, or for providing an external buttress channel for supporting tissue thereon. The surgical instrument assembly includes an interleaved combination of an open sleeve hollow retractor and a tapered tipped wedge introducer. The wedge introducer is introduced into an area adjacent to the hollow sleeve. The distal tip of the wedge introducer extends beyond a distal end of the hollow retractor, forward of a distal end of the hollow retractor, so that the wedge introducer traverses delicate tissue ahead of the distal end of the hollow retractor, guiding the hollow retractor into place to the delicate tissue.

A method for categorizing whole-breast density is disclosed. The method includes the steps of exposing breast tissue to an acoustic signal; measuring a distribution of an acoustic parameter by analyzing the acoustic signal; and obtaining a measure of whole-breast density from said measuring step. An apparatus is also disclosed.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for an image preprocessing device that automatically detects chestwall laterality; removes border artifacts; and segments breast tissue and pectoral muscle from digital mammograms. The algorithms in the preprocessing device utilize the computer cache, a vertical Sobel filter and a probabilistic Hough transform to detect curved edges. The preprocessing result, along with a pseudo-modality normalized image, can be used as input to a CAD (computer-aided detection) server or to a mammography image review workstation. In the case of workstation input, the preprocessing results improve the protocol for chestwall-to-chestwall image hanging, and support optimal image contrast display of each segmented region.

There is provided a method of analyzing a plurality of views of an object, the object including an edge portion partially extending from a surface of the object into an internal volume of the object, comprising the step of analyzing each acquired view. The step of analyzing each acquired view includes analysis of the edge portion. Preferably, the object comprises breast tissue.