Wearable 3d ultrasound-based whole breast imaging system

Abstract

A whole breast 3D ultrasound imaging system involves a wearable adapter subassembly, a compression plate subassembly releasably mountable on the wearable adapter subassembly and a motor plate subassembly releasably mountable on the compression plate subassembly so that the compression plate subassembly is between the wearable adapter subassembly and the motor plate subassembly. The wearable adapter subassembly acts as a dam to contain ultrasound fluid around a subject’s breast. The compression plate subassembly has an ultrasound compression plate in a frame, whereby the ultrasound compression plate is height adjustable. The motor plate subassembly has an ultrasound transducer and an actuator operatively coupled to the ultrasound transducer to translate the ultrasound transducer in a plane parallel to the ultrasound compression plate. The imaging system is cost-effective, portable and hands-free and can be used for bedside point-of-care imaging to acquire clear, sharp 3D ultrasound images of dense and/or small breasts.

1 . A whole breast 3D ultrasound imaging system comprising:
 a wearable adapter subassembly comprising an annular wall for containing an ultrasound transmission fluid around a breast of a subject, the annular wall comprising 
 a first edge configured to conform to a body surface around the breast of the subject to reduce leakage of the ultrasound fluid between the first edge and the body of the subject, and 
 a second edge; 
   a compression plate subassembly releasably mountable on the second edge of the wearable adapter subassembly, the compression plate subassembly comprising 
 an ultrasound compression plate that is height adjustable relative to the wearable adapter subassembly; and, 
   a motor plate subassembly releasably mountable on the wearable adapter subassembly, the motor plate subassembly comprising 
 an ultrasound transducer movable on the motor plate subassembly in a plane parallel to the ultrasound compression plate. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mounting interface mountable on the wearable adapter subassembly, the motor plate subassembly releasably mountable on the mounting interface. 
     
     
         3 . A whole breast 3D ultrasound imaging system comprising:
 a wearable adapter subassembly comprising an annular wall for containing an ultrasound transmission fluid around a breast of a subject, the annular wall comprising 
 a first edge configured to conform to a body surface around the breast of the subject to reduce leakage of the ultrasound fluid between the first edge and the body of the subject, and 
 a second edge; 
   a compression plate subassembly releasably mountable on the second edge of the wearable adapter subassembly, the compression plate subassembly comprising 
 a securement portion configured to be releasably secured to the second edge of the annular wall of the wearable adapter, and 
 a frame with an ultrasound compression plate mounted to the frame, whereby the ultrasound compression plate is height adjustable relative to the securement portion; and, 
   a motor plate subassembly releasably mountable on the compression plate subassembly so that the compression plate subassembly is between the wearable adapter subassembly and the motor plate subassembly, the motor plate subassembly comprising 
 an ultrasound transducer movably mounted thereon, and 
 an actuator operatively coupled to the ultrasound transducer to translate the ultrasound transducer in a plane parallel to the ultrasound compression plate. 
   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the frame comprises mounting bolts secured thereon, the mounting bolts engaging the securement portion to connect the frame to the securement portion, at least one of the mounting bolts rotatable in a threaded aperture in the securement portion to cause the frame and the ultrasound compression plate to move relative to the securement portion when the securement portion is secured to the wearable adapter subassembly. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the mounting bolts are all threaded and the mounting bolts are linked to each other by a timing belt so that rotation of one of the mounting bolts causes all of the mounting bolts to rotate thereby causing the frame and the ultrasound compression plate to move relative to the securement portion. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the securement portion comprises mounting screws that are threadingly mated with corresponding threaded mounting apertures in the second edge of the wearable adapter subassembly to releasably secure the compression plate subassembly to the wearable adapter subassembly. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the motor plate subassembly is mountable on the frame and moves with the compression plate during height adjustment of the compression plate. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the frame comprises mounting pins and the motor plate subassembly comprises a mounting plate having locating apertures therein, the locating apertures aligning with the mounting pins so that the motor plate subassembly is mountable on the frame by insertion of the mounting pins into the locating apertures. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor plate subassembly is mountable with mounting pins inserted in locating apertures. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the mounting pins and the locating apertures are configured so that the motor plate subassembly can be rotated 90° and still be mountable. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor plate subassembly comprises:
 one or more translatable rails on which the ultrasound transducer is mountable; and,   a motor operatively connected to the one or more translatable rails to translate at least one of the one or more translatable rails, the ultrasound transducer translatable by virtue of the being mounted on one or more of the translatable rails.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the motor is operatively connected to the one or more translatable rails by a timing belt. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more translatable rails comprise a first translatable rail and a second translatable rail, wherein the first translatable rail is orthogonal to the second translatable rail. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising one or more quick-release mechanisms that prevent or allow translation of the one or more translatable rails and/or rotation of the ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound transducer is height adjustable on the motor plate subassembly. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable adapter subassembly comprises a flexible gasket on the first edge to assist with conforming the first edge to the body surface of the subject. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable adapter subassembly comprises a hinge permitting the annular wall to flex to assist with conforming the first edge to the body surface of the subject. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable adapter subassembly further comprises a flexible membrane covering an open face thereof, the flexible membrane deformable by the breast when the breast is housed within the wearable adapter subassembly to prevent the breast from directly contacting the ultrasound transmission fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable adapter subassembly comprises a fastener for fastening the wearable adapter subassembly to the subject.