Apparatus for imaging and treating a breast

Abstract

A system for imaging and treating a breast of a patient includes a table configured to receive the patient thereon, having an aperture formed therein configured to receive the breast of the patient pendent therethrough and positionable over a bath configured to contain a medium. Means for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals is disposed in the bath. A frame is disposable out of the bath, and includes means for securing the breast to the frame to substantially maintain a position and a shape of the breast out of the bath as in the bath.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM [0001] Priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 580,416, filed Jun. 16, 2004, is claimed, and which is herein incorporated by reference. This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 821,407, filed Apr. 8, 2004, which is herein incorporated by reference.RELATED APPLICATION(S) [0002] This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed Jun. 15, 2005, as TNW docket no. 23473.NP, entitled “Method for Imaging and Treating a Breast,” which is herein incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates generally to a method for maintaining the position and the shape of a patient's breast during scanning and treatment, such as biopsy, therapy and / or surgery. [0005] 2. Related Art [0006] Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, and is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. Acco...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021] It has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop a method to facilitate further treatment of the breast or tumor after performing a scan or creating a tomography of the breast. In addition, it has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop a method to facilitate biopsy, therapy and / or surgery after an ultrasound computer topography scan. In addition, it has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop a pre-biopsy, pre-therapy or pre-surgical staging method that uses inverse scattering ultrasound technology to accurately model in situ malignant breast legions in three-dimensions, and coordinates placement of a biopsy device, marker placement device, needle, probe, and / or surgical instrument.

[0022] The invention provides a system for imaging and treating a breast of a patient, including a table configured to receive the patient thereon, having an aperture formed therein configured to receive the breast of the patient pendent therethrough and positionable over a bath configured to contain a medium. Means for transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals is disposed in the bath. A frame is disposable out of the bath and includes means for securing the breast to the frame to substantially maintain a position and a shape of the breast out of the bath as in the bath. Maintaining the position and the shape of the breast out of the bath as in the bath allows for the tumor or lesion to be more easily located for further treatment, and allows three-dimensional image to be utilized to guide treatment instruments.

[0023] In accordance with a more detailed aspect of the present invention, the frame can also be disposable in the bath and can maintain the position and the shape of the breast both in and out of the bath.

Problems solved by technology

The current standard of care has significant problems, generating unacceptably high rates of false positive tests—between 8% and 10%—and upwards of 15% false negative tests.

The result is that many women suffer from unnecessary and invasive biopsies.

In addition, each year the U.S. healthcare system spends an estimated $2.1 billion on biopsies, which yield negative results more than 75% of the time.

When breast cancer cells reach the axillary (underarm) lymph nodes, they may continue to grow, often causing the lymph nodes in that area to swell.

Fibrocystic changes can cause breast swelling and pain.

Although widespread use of screening mammography has increased the number of breast cancers found before they cause any symptoms, some breast cancers are not found by mammography, either because the test was not done or because even under ideal conditions mammography cannot find every breast cancer.

It has difficulty imaging objects with low reflectivity or high absorption of sound.

The subsequent surgery is extremely costly as well as traumatic to the patient.

Current methods in widespread use for guiding the surgeon to the outer margins of a malignant lesion are extremely crude and inaccurate.

The difference in the shape of the breast during wire placement and surgery can result in significant geometrical errors that substantially contribute to “dirty” margins and repeat surgeries.

The downside to such a procedure is the cost of both the initial investment to purchase MRI equipment and, subsequently, the necessity of upgrading that MRI system to enable this procedure.

In addition, the time required to image the patient and place the wires routinely exceeds one hour.

Notwithstanding these potential barriers to use of MRI-guided wire placement, this procedure is gaining acceptance and local hospitals are budgeting to acquire the enabling MRI hardware and software upgrades at significant cost.

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