Versatile Breast Ultrasound Scanning

Abstract

Versatile ultrasound scanning of a breast is described using an apparatus ( 1202 ) including a hand-manipulable compression/scanning assembly ( 1208 ). The compression/scanning assembly ( 1208 ) comprises an ultrasound transducer ( 1304 ) and a compressive member comprising an at least partially conformable membrane ( 1218 ) in a substantially taut state, the membrane ( 1218 ) having a first surface compressing the breast in a generally chestward direction and a second surface opposite the first surface. The compression/scanning assembly ( 1208 ) further comprises a transducer translation mechanism coupled to the ultrasound transducer ( 1304 ) and configured to sweep the ultrasound transducer across the second surface of the membrane to scan the breast while compressed in the generally chestward direction. Systemized and/or standardized ultrasonic scanning of a breast based on hand-manipulable scanners ( 1208, 1508 ) having substantially planar scanning surfaces is also described.

1 . An apparatus for ultrasonically scanning a breast of a patient, comprising:
 an ultrasound transducer;   a compressive member comprising an at least partially conformable membrane in a substantially taut state, the membrane having a first surface compressing the breast in a generally chestward direction and a second surface opposite the first surface; and   a transducer translation mechanism coupled to the ultrasound transducer and configured to sweep the ultrasound transducer across said second surface of said membrane to scan the breast while compressed in said generally chestward direction.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rigid and substantially stationary frame; and   an arm pivotably mounted to said frame, said compressive member being pivotably connected to said arm in a manner facilitating an orientation of said membrane in said generally chestward direction.   
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , said arm comprising first and second rigid members hingeably connected to each other, said first rigid member being pivotably mounted to said frame at a turret, said first and second compressive members being pivotably connected to said arm at sockets having ball-joint characteristics. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a hand-held ultrasound system user interface rotatably mounted to said frame, said hand-held ultrasound system user interface including a display monitor and a handheld ultrasound probe. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus for full-field breast ultrasound (FFBU) scanning of a breast of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
 a scanning assembly, comprising:
 an ultrasound transducer; 
 an at least partially conformable membrane in a substantially taut state, the membrane having a first surface that is transducer-facing and a second surface opposite said first surface; 
 a transducer translation mechanism capable of holding the scanning surface of the ultrasound transducer against said first surface of said membrane while translating the ultrasound transducer thereacross; 
 and 
 a gel pad integrated onto said first surface of said membrane; 
   and   an adjustable frame supporting said scanning assembly such that said gel pad and said second surface of said membrane compress the breast toward a chest wall of the patient while said ultrasound transducer is translated across said first surface of said membrane to scan the breast, said apparatus being configured and adapted to be capable of performing said scanning of the breast while the patient is in any of the following positions: prone, standing upright, or supine.   
   
   
       6 . An apparatus for full-field breast ultrasound (FFBU) scanning of a breast of a patient, the apparatus having an ultrasound transducer with a scanning surface, a first compressive member comprising an at least partially conformable membrane in a substantially taut state, the membrane having a first surface for contacting the breast and a second surface opposite the first surface, a second compressive member movable relative to the first compressive member to allow placement and compression of the breast therebetween, and a transducer translation mechanism configured to hold the scanning surface of the ultrasound transducer against said second surface of said membrane while translating the ultrasound transducer thereacross to scan the breast, wherein:
 the first compressive member is movable to a first position to compress the breast in a chestward direction to accommodate head-on scanning of the breast by the ultrasound transducer; and   the second compressive member is either completely removable from the FFBU apparatus or is movable to an out-of- the-way position to allow positioning of the patient for said head-on scanning of the breast when said first compressive member is moved to said first position.   
   
   
       7 . An apparatus for full-field breast ultrasound (FFBU) scanning of a breast of a supine patient, comprising a compression/scanning assembly having an ultrasound transducer and an at least partially conformable membrane in a substantially taut state, the membrane having a first surface for contacting the breast and a second surface opposite the first surface, the transducer being swept across the second surface in contact therewith to scan the breast, wherein the compression/scanning assembly is configured and adapted to be handheld for user positioning thereof against the breast for generally chestward compression of the breast during said scan. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , said compression/scanning assembly comprising a housing within which said transducer is disposed, the housing including an aperture across which the conformable membrane is positioned, wherein said membrane and said housing are optically transparent at locations that allow the user to view the breast surface through the compression/scanning assembly during said positioning and scanning. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a frame and a movable support arm coupled to the frame, said compression/scanning assembly being coupled to an end of the support arm, wherein said support arm three translational degrees of freedom relative to the frame, and wherein the compression/scanning assembly has three rotational degrees of freedom relative to the end of the movable support arm. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , said support arm supporting the compression/scanning assembly to be either (i) neutrally buoyant in space, or (ii) to have a light net downward weight (e.g., 2-3 pounds) for breast compression, while allowing for easy user manipulation thereof. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a position and orientation sensing system for providing compression/scanning assembly position and orientation information corresponding to said scan. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a lateral support element extending from said membrane toward the breast for gentle lateral confinement of the breast during said scans, the lateral support element comprising an at least partially pliable material. 
   
   
       13 . A method for ultrasonically scanning a breast, comprising stationarily pressing a substantially planar compressive surface of a hand-manipulable ultrasound scanning unit against the breast in a generally chestward direction, the hand-manipulable ultrasound scanning unit including an ultrasound transducer that is swept across the planar compressive surface to scan the breast therethrough while said compressive surface is stationarily pressed against the breast. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said compressive surface comprises an at least partially conformable membrane in a substantially taut state. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said compressive surface is stationarily pressed against the breast in a head-on orientation substantially parallel to a coronal plane during said scan. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said compressive surface is stationarily pressed against the breast in one of a lateral frontal orientation, a medial frontal orientation, an inferior frontal orientation, and a superior frontal orientation during said scan. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 categorizing the breast according to a size thereof; and   performing said stationarily pressing for each of a lateral frontal orientation and a medial frontal orientation of said compressive surface if the breast is of an at least small size.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising performing said stationarily pressing for an inferior frontal orientation if the breast is of an at least medium size. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising performing said stationarily pressing for a superior frontal orientation if the breast is of a large size. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 categorizing the breast according to at least one criterion affecting a volumetric scanning efficacy when said compressive surface is stationarily pressed against the breast in a head-on orientation substantially parallel to a coronal plane in a head-on orientation; and   if said volumetric scanning efficacy is below a predetermined threshold, performing said stationarily pressing for at least one ancillary orientation selected from the group consisting of: a lateral frontal orientation, a medial frontal orientation, an inferior frontal orientation, and a superior frontal orientation.