Tissue Positioning System Using Low-Pressure Interface Pad
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current breast imaging techniques, such as mammography and ultrasound tomography, face challenges including discomfort, limited effectiveness in dense breast tissue, high false alarm rates, and inability to accommodate varying breast sizes, leading to suboptimal imaging and patient discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A tissue positioning system utilizing a low-pressure source and telescoping support column with an interface plate and pad, which securely positions the breast through negative pressure, allowing for improved comfort, repeatable scanning, and accommodation of different breast sizes by elongating and contouring the tissue for enhanced imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If magnetic or other devices are used to capture the nipple region to extend and stabilize the breast during imaging, then the breast can be stabilized during imaging, but the breast can be deformed into a conical shape which is not optimum for imaging and patient comfort is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The interface pad uses a flexible membrane that conforms to the breast surface, allowing the breast to maintain its natural shape while being stabilized. The flexible film adapts to the breast's contours rather than forcing a fixed shape, resolving the contradiction between stabilization and natural shape preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the stabilization mechanism from rigid magnetic capture to flexible membrane support, altering the physical parameters of the interface from rigid to compliant. This allows the breast to be stabilized while maintaining its natural morphology, improving both imaging quality and patient comfort.
2Manufacturing precision
If rigid interface plates are used to position the breast, then the breast can be positioned for imaging, but the system cannot accommodate breasts of differing sizes and repeatable shaping is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane interface pad can adapt to various breast sizes and shapes while maintaining precise positioning. The membrane's compliance allows it to conform to different anatomies, achieving both positioning precision and adaptability to individual patient variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface system transitions from a static rigid plate to a dynamic flexible membrane that can adjust its shape and positioning characteristics. This dynamic adaptability allows the same interface to accommodate different breast sizes while maintaining consistent imaging geometry through the membrane's ability to conform to each patient's anatomy.
3Measurement precision
If compression is applied to the breast tissue between parallel plates to increase X-ray image quality, then tissue thickness is uniformed and tissue is stabilized, but the procedure becomes uncomfortable or even painful
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane interface provides gentle support and stabilization without the rigid compression of parallel plates. The membrane's compliance allows it to adapt to the breast's natural shape, maintaining imaging quality while eliminating the painful compression associated with traditional mammography positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a water bath environment with controlled fluid pressure to support and position the breast during ultrasound imaging. This pneumatic/hydraulic support mechanism provides gentle, uniform pressure that stabilizes the breast tissue for imaging without causing the discomfort of mechanical compression, allowing the breast to float or rest naturally in the water medium.
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 system provides improved breast positioning and comfort, enabling more effective imaging by reducing tissue thickness, increasing scan efficiency, and accommodating various breast morphologies, thus enhancing early cancer detection and patient experience.
Implementation Method 1
low pressure drawn through the telescoping support column can draw tissue into the center aperture of the interface pad
Implementation Method 2
the support column can in turn pull on the secured tissue to properly position and dispose the tissue for imaging or other purposes
Data Source
AI summary
A tissue positioning system for contouring a patient tissue volume includes an axially displaceable interface having a surface configured to engage a breast or other tissue volume. A low pressure source applies a partial low pressure to the surface of the displaceable interface to secure the tissue volume to the surface, and the axially displaceable interface is biased to pull and contour the tissue volume when the tissue volume is secured to the surface. The axially displaceable interface is typically mounted on a telescoping support and the biasing is provided by the same low pressure used to secure the tissue volume.