Tilting Compression Plate for Mammography Breast Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mammography apparatuses face challenges in maintaining the correct positioning of large breasts during MLO-view imaging due to their weight, leading to deviation and requiring manual forceful compression, which is exhausting for radiologic technologists, especially in high-volume imaging settings.
Innovation Solution
A mammography apparatus with a compression plate that tilts and moves to support the breast from below, adjusting its tilt angle based on the imaging angle and distance from the breast placement stage to prevent deviation and reduce manual compression effort, utilizing a processing circuitry to control the compression plate's movement and tilt.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual compression is used to position large breasts, then positioning accuracy is improved, but operator fatigue increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression plate automatically adjusts its tilt angle and position based on detection signals, enabling the system to position the breast without requiring manual intervention. The apparatus serves itself by using the detected breast position information to autonomously control the compression plate's movement and tilting, thereby eliminating operator fatigue while maintaining positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical compression method with an automated control system. The processing circuitry detects breast position and automatically controls the compression plate's tilt angle and position, substituting the radiologic technologist's manual mechanical action with an automated electromechanical system that improves both accuracy and productivity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If manual compression is applied to prevent breast deviation, then positioning stability is improved, but operator physical strain increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression plate autonomously maintains the breast in the correct position by automatically adjusting its tilt angle based on detection signals. The system monitors and corrects position deviations without requiring continuous manual intervention, thereby stabilizing breast position while eliminating operator physical strain.
Solution Approach 2:
The processing circuitry detects the breast position and provides feedback control to the compression plate's tilt angle and position. This closed-loop feedback system continuously monitors and adjusts the compression plate to maintain optimal breast positioning, ensuring stability while removing the need for manual force application.
3Measurement precision
If the compression plate is tilted to support the breast, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression plate is designed with dynamic tilting capability that can be adjusted based on the detected breast position and imaging angle. The tilt angle is not fixed but can be dynamically changed to optimize breast support and positioning accuracy for different imaging conditions, with the processing circuitry automatically controlling the tilting mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The tiltable compression plate serves multiple functions: it provides breast compression, positional support, and automatic positioning adjustment. By integrating the tilting mechanism into the compression plate, the patent achieves multi-functionality that improves positioning accuracy without requiring separate positioning devices, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a mammography apparatus includes: a breast placement stage on which a breast is placed; a compression plate that compresses the breast placed on the breast placement stage; a supporting arm that supports the breast placement stage in such a manner that the stage can be tilted; and processing circuitry that controls driving of the compression plate in such a manner that the breast placed on the breast placement stage tilted by the supporting arm is supported from below and compressed.