Apparatus and method for facilitating breast self-examinations

Abstract

An apparatus and method for facilitating breast self-examinations and the recordation of evaluative results therefrom, wherein a thin-materialed, tight-fitting, shirt-like garment having a low-coefficient of friction and possessing breast self-examination patterns thereon is utilized to guide a user's fingers during examination of her breasts, and wherein a marking instrument is utilized to mark or ink areas of suspected abnormalities directly on the garment, thereby facilitating future identification and/or comparison with new examination results or findings. The present apparatus and method enables a user to conduct a breast self-examination by palpating her breasts from the outside of the garment, as opposed to directly feeling or contacting her bare breasts.

1 . A breast self-examination apparatus, comprising: 
 a form-fitting garment; and,    at least one examination pattern disposed on said garment.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said garment is shirt-like and fabricated from a thin material.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said garment comprises a low-coefficient of friction to facilitate hand and finger movement over said at least one examination pattern.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one examination pattern is disposed on said garment in such a manner so as to overly a breast of a wearer of said garment.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said garment further comprises at least one alignment mark centrally disposed within said at least one examination pattern, said at least one alignment mark utilized to center a nipple of the breast of the wearer thereunder to properly align said at least one examination pattern over the breast.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said garment further comprises at least one aperture centrally formed through said at least one examination pattern, said at least one aperture utilized to center a nipple of the breast of the wearer therethrough to properly align said at least one examination pattern over the breast.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said garment further comprises at least one armpit examination pattern disposed under an armpit area of said garment.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one examination pattern is selected from the group consisting of vertical patterns, spiral patterns, wedge patterns, quadrant patterns, circumscribed areas, sectionalized patterns, arrowed patterns, colored patterns, differently lined patterns, textured patterns, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one marking instrument for marking or designating areas of suspected abnormalities directly on said garment.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one marking instrument is selected from the group consisting of permanent ink pens, temporary ink pens, non-permanent ink pens, washable ink, differently colored pens, differently colored marking instruments, hook-and-loop fasteners, stickers, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       11 . A breast self-examination apparatus, comprising: 
 a form-fitting garment;    at least one breast examination pattern disposed on said garment; and,    at least one armpit examination pattern disposed on said garment.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said garment is shirt-like and fabricated from a thin material.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said garment comprises a low-coefficient of friction to facilitate hand and finger movement over said at least one breast examination pattern and said at least one armpit examination pattern.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said garment further comprises at least one alignment mark centrally disposed within said at least one breast examination pattern, said at least one alignment mark utilized to center a nipple of a breast of a wearer thereunder to properly align said at least one breast examination pattern over the breast.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said garment further comprises at least one aperture centrally formed through said at least one breast examination pattern, said at least one aperture utilized to center a nipple of the breast of the wearer therethrough to properly align said at least one breast examination pattern over the breast.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one breast examination pattern and said at least one armpit examination pattern are selected from the group consisting of vertical patterns, spiral patterns, wedge patterns, quadrant patterns, circumscribed areas, sectionalized patterns, arrowed patterns, colored patterns, differently lined patterns, textured patterns, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one marking instrument for marking or designating areas of suspected abnormalities directly on said garment.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said at least one marking instrument is selected from the group consisting of permanent ink pens, temporary ink pens, non-permanent ink pens, washable ink, differently colored pens, differently colored marking instruments, hook-and-loop fasteners, stickers, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       19 . A breast self-examination apparatus, comprising: 
 a form-fitting garment;    at least one examination pattern disposed on said garment; and,    at least one marking instrument for marking or designating areas of suspected abnormalities directly on said garment.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said garment is shirt-like and fabricated from a thin material.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said garment comprises a low-coefficient of friction to facilitate hand and finger movement over said at least one examination pattern.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said at least one examination pattern is disposed on said garment in such a manner so as to overly a breast of a wearer of said garment.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said garment further comprises at least one alignment mark centrally disposed within said at least one examination pattern, said at least one alignment mark utilized to center a nipple of the breast of the wearer thereunder to properly align said at least one examination pattern over the breast.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 22 , wherein said garment further comprises at least one aperture centrally formed through said at least one examination pattern, said at least one aperture utilized to center a nipple of the breast of the wearer therethrough to properly align said at least one examination pattern over the breast.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said garment further comprises at least one armpit examination pattern disposed under an armpit area of said garment.  
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said at least one examination pattern is selected from the group consisting of vertical patterns, spiral patterns, wedge patterns, quadrant patterns, circumscribed areas, sectionalized patterns, arrowed patterns, colored patterns, differently lined patterns, textured patterns, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said at least one marking instrument is selected from the group consisting of permanent ink pens, temporary ink pens, non-permanent ink pens, washable ink, differently colored pens, differently colored marking instruments, hook-and-loop fasteners, stickers, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       28 . A method of breast self-examination, comprising the steps of: 
 a. obtaining a breast self-examination apparatus, comprising: 
 a form-fitting garment; and,  
 at least one examination pattern disposed on said garment; and  
   b. putting on said garment;    c. aligning said at least one examination pattern over a breast; and,    d. examining and palpating the breast from the outside of said garment via guiding at least one finger over said at least one examination pattern.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising the step of: e. marking or designating directly on said garment areas of suspected abnormalities via at least one marking instrument.