Claims
- 1. A system to aid in ultrasound scanning of breast tissue, comprising
a fabric covering for the breast tissue, adapted to hold the breast tissue in place during scanning; and an ultrasonic coupling agent applied to the covering; wherein the covering is capable of absorbing the coupling agent and conducting ultrasonic energy with minimal interference.
- 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the covering is pre-impregnated with the ultrasonic coupling agent.
- 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the covering provides a pattern that can be used by an optical movement sensor.
- 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the covering is constructed with one or more chain stitched seams.
- 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pad to cover the nipple of the breast tissue, the pad being ultrasonically conductive and having different ultrasonic characteristics than breast tissue, said pad placed beneath the fabric covering and held in place by the fabric covering.
- 6. An aid for ultrasound breast scanning, comprising
a fabric covering for the breast tissue, adapted to hold the breast tissue in place during scanning, the covering being constructed with one or more chain stitched seams.
- 7. The aid of claim 6, further comprising a pad to cover the nipple of the breast tissue, the pad being ultrasonically conductive and having different ultrasonic characteristics than breast tissue, said pad placed beneath the fabric covering and held in place by the fabric covering.
- 8. An aid for ultrasound breast scanning, comprising
a pad placed over the nipple, said pad being ultrasonically conductive and having different ultrasonic characteristics than breast tissue, wherein the pad is disk-shaped, with its greatest thickness in the center of the disk, and tapered to an edge about the full periphery of the pad.
- 9. A system to aid in ultrasound scanning breast tissue, comprising
a fabric covering for the breast tissue, adapted to hold the breast tissue in place during scanning; a pad placed over the nipple, said pad being ultrasonically conductive and having different ultrasonic characteristics than breast tissue, the fabric covering being positioned over the pad to hold the pad in place during scanning; and an ultrasonic coupling agent applied to the covering; wherein the covering is capable of absorbing the coupling agent and conducting ultrasonic energy with minimal interference.
- 10. A method to aid in the ultrasonic scanning of breast tissue comprising
using a fabric covering the breast tissue, adapted to hold the breast tissue in place during scanning; and using an ultrasonic coupling agent in conjunction with the fabric covering.
- 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising
placing a pad over the nipple of the breast tissue and beneath the fabric covering, said pad being ultrasonically conductive and having different ultrasonic characteristics than breast tissue and said pad being held in place by the fabric covering; and moving an ultrasound probe atop the covering across the breast tissue during scanning, including traversing the periphery of the pad at least once.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/687,128, filed Oct. 13, 2000 in the name of Kevin M. Kelly et al., for which priority under 35 U.S.C. 120 is claimed. The disclosure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/687,128 is incorporated herein by reference.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09687128 |
Oct 2000 |
US |
Child |
10328259 |
Dec 2002 |
US |