Patent · US Active

Compressive surfaces for ultrasonic scanning

US8721552B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by

4References

20Claims

0Family size

Assignee

U-SYSTEMS, INC. · US

Inventors

Tor C. Anderson · Los Gatos, US
Jiayu Chen · Palo Alto, US
Shih-Ping Wang · Los Altos, US

Key dates

Filing date	Jun 5, 2012
Grant date	May 13, 2014
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jun 5, 2032

Classification

Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
CPC primaryA61B8/4281
WIPO fieldMedical technology
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Automated ultrasonic scanning of a chestwardly compressed breast of a supine patient uses a scanning assembly that moves down to compress the breast through a membrane that is secured to the assembly across a bottom opening. A motorized ultrasound transducer moves across the breast while the breast remains downwardly compressed against the patient's chest, sending and receiving ultrasound energy through the membrane. The membrane is porous with respect to an acoustic coupling liquid that impregnates it. The transducer outputs ultrasound information that is processed to form initial planar images and then reconstructed slice images of breast tissue.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.