Angled Breast Compression Plate for Mammography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mammographic apparatuses face challenges in accurately positioning the breast for image capture, particularly in medio-lateral and medio-lateral oblique views, as the nipple region is not initially held by the compression plate, leading to potential displacement due to gravity and difficulty in removing the operator's hand without displacing the breast.
Innovation Solution
A mammographic apparatus with a breast compression plate and support mechanism that allows angular movement and tilting, coupled with a timing control circuit and pressure sensors, ensures the breast is securely positioned by tilting the compression plate to brace the nipple region and maintain alignment during image capture, enabling easy hand removal without displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the breast compression plate follows the shape of the breast to compress it, then the breast can be compressed effectively, but the operator finds it difficult to remove the hand and may cause the breast to be displaced in position
Solution Approach 1:
The breast compression plate is designed to be angularly movable about an axis parallel to the chest wall, transitioning from an initial compressed state to a final horizontal state. This dynamic adjustment allows the plate to adapt its position, enabling easy hand removal while maintaining compression effectiveness throughout the imaging process.
Solution Approach 2:
The compression plate is initially positioned at an angle to compress the breast and hold it in place during the imaging process. This preliminary positioning action secures the breast before the operator needs to remove their hand, preventing displacement without requiring continuous manual support.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the breast compression plate is held against a wide area of the breast, then the breast can be stabilized during compression, but the operator finds it difficult to remove the hand without displacing the breast
Solution Approach 1:
The compression plate transitions from an angled position that provides stable breast holding to a horizontal position that facilitates hand removal. The angular movement about a axis parallel to the chest wall allows the plate to maintain stability during imaging while enabling easy operator hand removal when needed.
3Ease of operation
If the portion of the breast near the nipple is not held by the compression plate, then the operator can easily remove the hand, but the portion of the breast near the nipple may possibly be displaced in position
Solution Approach 1:
The compression plate is initially positioned at an angle to hold the breast portion near the nipple in place before imaging begins. This preliminary action secures the nipple region against gravitational displacement, and the plate maintains this holding position throughout the imaging process, ensuring positioning reliability without requiring continuous manual support.
4Manufacturing precision
If the breast compression plate is made angularly movable, then the breast can be positioned accurately in different views, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression plate incorporates angular movement about an axis parallel to the chest wall, allowing it to adapt to different imaging positions (cranio-caudal, medio-lateral, medio-lateral oblique). This dynamic capability enables accurate breast positioning for various views while using a relatively simple rotational mechanism rather than complex multi-axis positioning systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A mammographic apparatus is set to take a medio-lateral oblique view (MLO) of a breast with an arm being tilted. After having positioned the breast on an image capturing base, the radiological technician moves a breast compression plate, which is tilted with respect to the image capturing base, toward the image capturing base. When the breast compression plate abuts against the breast and the breast is braced from below by the image capturing base, the radiological technician removes a hand from between the image capturing base and the breast compression plate, and then further moves the breast compression plate toward the image capturing base. A compression plate support mechanism turns the breast compression plate to make it substantial parallel to the image capturing base, thereby positioning the breast.