Contoured Radiation Detector for Full Breast Tissue Coverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging systems, such as tomosynthesis and mammography, are limited by the physical structure of their detectors, which do not conform to the shape of the human body, leading to incomplete imaging of breast tissues and surrounding areas, and require uncomfortable patient positioning.
Innovation Solution
A contoured radiation detector and breast platform are designed to match the curvature of the chest wall, accompanied by a contoured anti-scatter grid that rotates around the center of curvature, allowing for improved tissue coverage and image quality through rotational movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a flat detector is used in medical imaging systems, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the detector cannot conform to the curvature of the chest wall, resulting in incomplete imaging coverage of breast tissues and surrounding areas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by designing the detector surface to match the anatomical curvature of the chest wall. The detector surface is shaped with a radius of curvature that conforms to the human body contour, enabling full-field imaging of the breast and surrounding tissues while maintaining complete geometric coverage without gaps or distortions.
2Area of stationary object
If the detector is contoured to match the chest wall curvature, then full-field imaging coverage is achieved, but the anti-scatter grid must also be contoured and implemented with rotational movement mechanism, increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The anti-scatter grid is designed with a contoured surface that matches the detector's curvature. The grid surface is shaped to conform to the chest wall anatomy, allowing it to maintain proper alignment with the detector during rotational movement while effectively reducing scatter radiation across the entire imaging field.
Solution Approach 2:
The anti-scatter grid is implemented with rotational movement capability that synchronizes with the detector's rotational path. This dynamic configuration allows the grid to maintain optimal positioning relative to the radiation source and detector throughout the tomosynthesis acquisition sequence, ensuring consistent scatter rejection across all projection angles.
3Measurement precision
If a contoured detector with rotational anti-scatter grid is used, then image quality and tissue coverage are improved, but the manufacturing and alignment precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies a radius of curvature parameter for the detector surface that is optimized for anatomical conformity. By defining this geometric parameter, the design standardizes the curvature matching process, making it reproducible during manufacturing and simplifying alignment procedures while achieving optimal imaging coverage and image quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables full-field imaging of the breast and surrounding tissues, reducing the risk of missing abnormalities and enhancing patient comfort by aligning the detector and grid geometry with the body's shape.
Implementation Method 1
a radiation source configured to emit radiation and a contoured radiation detector configured to receive radiation emitted from the radiation source after the radiation has passed through at least a portion of a patient
Implementation Method 2
an anti-scatter grid above the superior surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~2C
AI summary
A medical imaging system that includes a contoured radiation detector configured to receive radiation emitted from a radiation source after the radiation has passed through at least a portion of a patient. The contoured radiation detector includes a gate-wall end and lateral sides, including a right-hand side and a left-hand side. The contoured radiation detector may also includes a superior surface connected to the gate-wall end, right-hand side, and the left-hand side. The contoured radiation detector further includes a chest-wall surface, the chest-wall surface connected to the superior surface, the right-hand side, and the left-hand side, whereby the curvature is contoured to a chest wall of the patient. The system may also include an anti-scatter grid having a chest-wall surface with a similar curvature as the chest-wall surface of the contoured radiation detector.