Fabric Compression Unit for Mammography Imaging Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mammography systems face challenges in diagnosing breast tissue variations due to differences in image resolution and acquisition geometry between x-ray and ultrasound images, requiring separate patient positioning and breast compression strengths.
Innovation Solution
A compression unit with adjustable fabric-based compression planes and an integrated ultrasound unit that allows for simultaneous x-ray and ultrasound imaging with consistent geometry, enabling real-time image superposition and maintaining breast compression during both procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate patient positioning is used for x-ray and ultrasound examinations, then each examination can be performed with optimized positioning, but patient repositioning time and procedural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines x-ray imaging and ultrasound imaging capabilities into a single mammography apparatus with a unified compression unit. The ultrasound unit is integrated into the compression unit, allowing both imaging modalities to be performed on the breast in the same position without requiring patient repositioning, thereby reducing time loss while maintaining diagnostic precision
Solution Approach 2:
The compression unit is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides compression for x-ray mammography, accommodates the ultrasound unit for ultrasound imaging, and maintains consistent geometry for both modalities. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate positioning procedures
2Measurement precision
If different compression strengths are used for x-ray and ultrasound examinations, then each examination can be optimized, but the procedure requires multiple compression adjustments and increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The compression unit features an adjustable mechanism that can modify the spacing between compression planes to accommodate different examination requirements. The spacing adjustment mechanism allows the compression strength to be varied while maintaining a single unified compression structure, enabling optimization for both x-ray and ultrasound imaging without requiring separate compression devices
Solution Approach 2:
The single compression unit with adjustable spacing serves both x-ray and ultrasound examinations, providing a universal solution that eliminates the need for multiple compression devices while maintaining optimized imaging conditions for both modalities
3Measurement precision
If x-ray and ultrasound images are acquired with different geometries, then each modality can be optimized independently, but image correlation and superposition become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The compression unit maintains consistent compression geometry and spacing for both x-ray and ultrasound imaging, creating equivalent spatial conditions for both modalities. This equipotential approach ensures that images from different modalities can be directly correlated and superimposed without geometric distortion, preserving spatial information while allowing each modality to be optimized
Data Source
AI summary
In a compression unit of a mammography apparatus, a breast is compressed between a first compression plane and a second compression plane. At least one of the first and second compression planes is formed by a fabric. The compression unit allows a breast to be maintained in a fixed, compressed state while acquiring an x-ray image of the compressed breast and the compressed state is maintained for subsequently acquiring an ultrasound image of the compressed breast.