Tomosynthesis-guided biopsy in prone

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12064291-B2
Application number	US-202318102207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2023
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A station for tomotactic-guided biopsy in prone includes a table with an aperture, and a tomosynthesis imaging system. A biopsy gun can be mounted on a stage arm assembly disposed below the table. The imaging system and stage arm assembly can be independently rotated and linearly repositioned in one or more dimensions, thereby allowing the tomotactic scan axis to be located relative to a breast being imaged.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a base;
an equipment support platform linearly positionable relative to the base;
a tomosynthesis imaging system rotatably secured to the equipment support platform for imaging a breast of a patient, wherein the tomosynthesis imaging system is rotatable about an imaging system rotation axis, wherein the tomosynthesis imaging system comprises an x-ray source and a receptor;
a stage arm assembly rotatably secured to the equipment support platform, wherein the stage arm assembly comprises a biopsy needle configured to obtain a tissue sample from the breast of the patient, wherein the stage arm assembly is rotatable about a stage arm assembly rotation axis; and
a breast support assembly linearly positionable along the equipment support platform, wherein the breast support assembly is configured to immobilize the breast of the patient during an image-guided biopsy procedure, wherein the breast support assembly comprises a breast support platform and a compression paddle, the breast support platform integral with a protective cover enclosing the receptor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the equipment support platform is positionable along a Z-axis, the Z-axis being oriented in a same direction as at least one of the imaging system rotation axis and the stage arm assembly rotation axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a table positioned above the equipment support platform, wherein the table is configured to support the patient in a prone position.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the table defines an aperture through which the breast imaged by the tomosynthesis imaging system extends.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the Z-axis is defined by the aperture.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the equipment support platform is configured to be moved in one or more dimensions orthogonal to the Z-axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the tomosynthesis imaging system is positionable along the Z-axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the stage arm assembly is positionable along the Z-axis.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system rotation axis is defined between the x-ray source and the receptor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a portion of the biopsy needle is configured to be positioned within a path of x-ray emission from the x-ray source.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stage arm assembly is configured to be rotated to either side of the breast support assembly without interfering with the breast support assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stage arm assembly is independently rotatable from the tomosynthesis imaging system.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stage arm assembly is independently linearly positionable from the tomosynthesis imaging system.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system rotation axis is co-axial with the stage arm assembly rotation axis.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the stage arm assembly is rotatable through at least 180 degrees.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the biopsy needle is positionable through 360 degrees relative to the breast.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the compression paddle is linearly movable toward and away from the breast support platform.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a carriage slide assembly connected to the stage arm assembly, wherein the carriage slide assembly is configured to reposition the biopsy needle.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the breast support platform or the protective cover have side-edge sections configured to provide access to the immobilized breast of the patient.

20. A method of performing an image-guided biopsy procedure, the method comprising:
extending a breast of a patient through an opening of a patient support table when the patient is in a prone position;
compressing the breast of the patient with a breast support assembly, wherein the breast support assembly is linearly positionable relative to an equipment support platform disposed below the table, wherein the breast support assembly includes a breast support platform and a compression paddle that the breast of the patient is compressed between;
rotatably positioning a tomosynthesis imaging system about an imaging system rotation axis, wherein the tomosynthesis imaging system is rotatably secured to the equipment support platform for imaging the breast of the patient, wherein the tomosynthesis imaging system is positionable independent of the breast support assembly, wherein the tomosynthesis imaging system includes an x-ray source and a receptor, the receptor enclosed within the breast support platform that is integral with a protective cover; and
rotatably positioning a stage arm assembly relative to the breast support assembly, wherein the stage arm assembly is positionable independent of the breast support assembly, and wherein the stage arm assembly comprises a biopsy needle configured to obtain a tissue sample from the breast of the patient, wherein the stage arm assembly is rotatable about a stage arm assembly rotation axis and positionable along a Z-axis, the Z-axis being oriented in a same direction as at least one of the imaging system rotation axis and the stage arm assembly rotation axis.

Assignees

• Hologic Inc

Inventors

• Defreitas Kenneth F
• Shaw Ian
• Laviola John

Classifications

• A61B2010/045

  Needles (pointed biopsy devices with vacuum aspiration A61B10/0283) · CPC title

• A61B6/0414

  with compression means · CPC title

• A61B10/0233

  Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments · CPC title

• A61B6/502

  for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography · CPC title

• A61B6/4452

  the source unit and the detector unit being able to move relative to each other · CPC title