Granted Patent B2

US 12,484,870 · App. 18/556,153 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Inventors: Kenneth F. Defreitas (Patterson, NY); Baorui Ren (Andover, MA)

Assignee: Hologic, Inc.

A61B6/502A61B6/0414A61B6/0421A61B6/542A61B6/545

Abstract

Claims (27)

1 . A method of imaging a breast of a patient with a breast imaging system, the method comprising:

supporting the breast on a breast support platform;

applying a compressive force to the breast with a breast immobilization element comprising a rigid substrate, a foam compressive element secured below the rigid substrate, and a force sensor, and wherein the foam compressive element is in contact with the breast during application of the compressive force;

detecting a force signal at the force sensor based on the applied compressive force;

determining a compressed thickness of the breast proximate the force sensor based at least in part on the detected force signal at the force sensor; and

setting an automatic exposure control based at least in part on the determined thickness of the breast proximate the force sensor.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the compressed thickness of the breast proximate the force sensor comprises:

determining a separation distance between the breast support platform and the rigid substrate;

obtaining a compressed foam thickness proximate the force sensor based at least in part on the detected force signal at the force sensor; and

subtracting the compressed foam thickness proximate the force sensor from the separation distance to determine the compressed thickness of the breast proximate the force sensor.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the force sensor is disposed proximate a front wall of the rigid substrate and proximate a centerline extending from the front wall.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein setting the automatic exposure control is further based at least in part on at least one of the compressed foam thickness and a foam density.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the force sensor comprises a plurality of force sensors.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of force sensors are arranged in a grid pattern on the rigid substrate.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of force sensors are arranged disposed along a centerline extending from a front wall of the rigid substrate.

8 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the compressed foam thickness proximate the force sensor, and the compressed thickness of the breast proximate the force sensor are substantially vertically aligned.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the compressed foam thickness proximate the force sensor, the compressed thickness of the breast proximate the force sensor, and the force sensor are substantially vertically aligned.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the force sensor comprises a plurality of force sensors disposed along a line extending from a front edge of the breast immobilization element.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the line is disposed along a central region of the rigid substrate.

12 . The method claim 1 , further comprising determining the compressed thickness of the foam compressive element.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the compressed thickness of the foam compressive element at the force sensor comprises obtaining a foam thickness measurement from a look-up table comprising a plurality of force signals and a plurality of corresponding foam thickness measurements.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises identifying a foam compressive element type, and wherein the look-up table is associated with the foam compressive element type.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein identifying the foam compressive element type comprises receiving an identification signal.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the compressed thickness of the breast is based at least in part on the determined thickness of the foam compressive element at the force sensor and a separation distance between the breast support platform and the rigid substrate.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the compressed thickness of the foam compressive element is at a location of the foam compressive element substantially vertically aligned with the force sensor.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the force sensor is disposed between the rigid substrate and the foam compressive element.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the force sensor is disposed within the foam compressive element.

Assignments (4)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (237)