Motorized biopsy needle positioner
US5240011A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 27, 1991 |
| Grant date | Aug 31, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 27, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N13/30
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A motorized biopsy needle positioner employed in a mammographic needle biopsy system receives coordinate information representative of a previously identified point of interest within a patient's captive breast under examination and automatically positions a biopsy needle in accordance with that coordinate information to permit insertion of the biopsy needle to the previously identified point of interest. An offset mode of operation of the motorized biopsy needle positioner automatically positions the biopsy needle in accordance with coordinate information representative of an offset point within the patient's breast that is offset from the previously identified point of interest to permit insertion of the biopsy needle to that offset point. A manual mode of operation of the motorized biopsy needle positioner permits the user to actuate directional keys of a user control unit to position the biopsy needle in one or more directions, as specified by the actuated directional keys.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.