Cardiography Imaging Aids

Abstract

A cardiography imaging aid in the form of a breast sling is disclosed that provides for the ergonomically repositioning a breast during diagnostic imaging. The breast sling is a breast support designed to lift and hold the breast away from the chest wall so that an imaging probes may be easily placed against the chest wall. The breast sling holds the breast away to permit the imaging taking operator to obtain cardiographic images without incurring ergonomic injury that would otherwise occur to the operator's hands and wrist as a consequence of the accumulating strain resulting from repetitive lifting and holding experienced by the operator during multiple patient exams.

1 . A cardiography imaging aid device comprising: 
 a strap having a first member with a catch, a middle member having a hook and connected with the first member, the middle member further having a curvature configured to brace a breast,    wherein the middle member contacts and lifts the breast when the hook is engaged with the first member's catch.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the catch is a Velcro® patch.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the hook is a Velcro® loop  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the middle member comprises closed cell foam.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the breast is a left breast.  
   
   
       6 . A cardiography imaging aid device comprising: 
 a substantially pyramidal-shaped pillow having a curved region,    wherein the pyramidal-shaped pillow is placed beneath the rib cage of a patient lying in a decubitis position on a platform supports the rib cage by wedge action conferred by the pyramidal shaped pillow between the patient's rib cage and the curved region to increase the viewing angle available to a medical imaging device.    
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the pyramidal-shaped pillow comprises an internal region filled with non-compressible foam.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the pyramidal-shaped pillow comprises an exterior surface coated with hardenable plastic.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the pyramidal-shaped pillow comprises an internal region filled with plastic micro beads.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein the pyramidal-shaped pillow comprises an exterior surface coated with hardenable plastic.  
   
   
       11 . A cardiography imaging aid device comprising: 
 a pillow having user-adjusted contours,    wherein the contours of the pillow are adjusted and engaged against the rib cage of a patient lying in a decubitis position to elevate the rib cage by wedge action conferred by the user-adjustable contours to increase the viewing angle available to a medical imaging device.    
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the pillow is filled with Styrofoam microbeads.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 13  wherein the pillow is enclosed within a fabric.