Horizontally-displaceable foam breast compression paddle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12295759-B2
Application number	US-202318119055-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2023
Priority date	Jan 24, 2020
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

A breast compression paddle includes a bracket, a rigid substrate, and a foam compressive element. The bracket removably secures the breast compression paddle to an imaging system. The rigid substrate is secured to the bracket and includes a first edge and a second edge disposed opposite the first edge. The foam compressive element is slidably secured to the rigid substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of positioning a breast of a patient for x-ray imaging, the method comprising:
moving at least a portion of a paddle towards the breast in a direction substantially orthogonal to a support platform supporting the breast, wherein the at least a portion of the paddle includes a compression region and a bracket;
connecting a rigid substrate of a foam element to the bracket of the paddle proximate to the compression region and via a connection system, wherein at least a portion of the rigid substrate is received within a substrate receptable extending from the bracket; and
contacting the breast with the foam element.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein moving the at least a portion of the paddle comprises a first moving operation of the at least a portion of the paddle and a second moving operation of the paddle, and wherein connecting the foam element to the at least a portion of the paddle is performed between the first moving operation and the second moving operation.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising placing the breast on the support platform.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein connecting the foam element to the at least a portion of the paddle comprises sliding the foam element in a direction substantially parallel to the support platform.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the substrate receptacle relative to the bracket once the at least a portion of the rigid substrate is within the substrate receptacle.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising engaging a pin within the substrate receptacle with the rigid substrate to connect the foam element to the at least a portion of the paddle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein when the at least a portion of the rigid substrate of the foam element is received within the substrate receptacle, clearance is provided between the rigid substrate and the bracket.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein connecting the foam element to the at least a portion of the paddle comprises aligning the rigid substrate of the foam element with the compression region of the paddle.

9. A paddle for a breast x-ray imaging system, the paddle comprising:
a bracket configured to couple to the breast x-ray imaging system;
a compression region extending from the bracket;
a foam element having a rigid substrate secured thereto; and
a connection system for removably connecting the foam element to the bracket proximate the compression region, the connection system includes a substrate receptacle extending from the bracket and that couples to at least a portion of the rigid substrate.

10. The paddle of claim 9 , wherein a pin is disposed at least partially within the substrate receptacle for engaging the rigid substrate.

11. The paddle of claim 9 , wherein the at least a portion of the rigid substrate is slidably received by the substrate receptacle.

12. The paddle of claim 9 , wherein the substrate receptacle includes a guide for receiving the rigid substrate.

13. The paddle of claim 9 , wherein the substrate receptacle is moveable on the bracket.

14. The paddle of claim 9 , wherein the substrate receptacle extends from a mount that couples to the bracket, the rigid substrate having clearance relative to the bracket.

15. The paddle of claim 9 , wherein the rigid substrate includes at least one of a flange and an edge.

16. The paddle of claim 9 , wherein the rigid substrate is magnetically coupled to the substrate receptacle.

17. The paddle of claim 16 , further comprising one or more alignment features on the rigid substrate and the substrate receptacle.

18. A method of positioning a breast of a patient for x-ray imaging, the method comprising:
moving at least a portion of a paddle towards the breast in a direction substantially orthogonal to a support platform supporting the breast;
connecting a foam element to the at least a portion of the paddle via a connection system, wherein connecting the foam element to the at least a portion of the paddle comprises magnetically coupling at least a portion of a rigid substrate of the foam element with a substrate receptacle extending from a bracket; and
contacting the breast with the foam element.

Assignees

• Hologic Inc

Inventors

• Defreitas Kenneth
• Stein Jay A
• Rego Alan

Classifications

• A61B6/502

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

• A61B6/4476

  related to motor-assisted motion of the source unit · CPC title

• A61B6/0487

  Motor-assisted positioning · CPC title

• A61B6/0414 Primary

  with compression means · CPC title