Breast cancer screening with adjunctive ultrasound mammography
US7828732B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 5, 2009 |
| Grant date | Nov 9, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 5, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B8/565
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An adjunctive ultrasound mammography system and associated methods are described, comprising a scanning apparatus for facilitating standardized, repeatable breast ultrasound scans, and further comprising an adjunctive ultrasound display apparatus configured for fast, intuitive viewing of adjunctive ultrasound data concurrently with x-ray mammogram information. In one preferred embodiment, thick-slice ultrasound images are displayed near an x-ray mammogram such that a screening radiologist can quickly view the thick-slice images for assistance in interpreting the x-ray mammogram. Methods for concurrently acquiring and displaying vibrational resonance image (VDI) data are described. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) algorithms that incorporate acoustically-based feature vectors are described, the feature vectors including lateral shadow metrics, vertical shadow metrics, posterior enhancement metrics, and VDI-based metrics. Algorithms are also described that combine x-ray mammogram CAD results with adjunctive ultrasound CAD results without requiring complex image registrations therebetween. Many of the practical, economic, and political barriers to acceptance and integration of ultrasoun…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.