US 11,998,371 B2
Breast compression and imaging systems and methods
Shawn St. Pierre, The Hills, TX (US); Alan Rego, Woodbury, CT (US); Richard Gladwin Edwards, Brookfield, CT (US); Joseph Vartolone, Danbury, CT (US); and Timothy Wells, Manchester, CT (US)
Assigned to Hologic, Inc., Marlborough, MA (US)
Filed by Hologic, Inc., Marlborough, MA (US)
Filed on May 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/195,176.
Application 18/195,176 is a continuation of application No. 17/744,975, filed on May 16, 2022, granted, now 11,701,068.
Application 17/744,975 is a continuation of application No. 16/981,362, granted, now 11,357,456, issued on Jun. 14, 2022, previously published as PCT/US2019/033570, filed on May 22, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/676,472, filed on May 25, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0329652 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 6/04 (2006.01); A61B 6/46 (2024.01); A61B 6/50 (2024.01)
CPC A61B 6/0414 (2013.01) [A61B 6/0435 (2013.01); A61B 6/0492 (2013.01); A61B 6/461 (2013.01); A61B 6/502 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of determining a condition of a breast for an imaging procedure, the method comprising:
compressing the breast between a movable compression paddle and a support platform;
monitoring a position of at least a portion of the compression paddle relative to the support platform;
emitting a signal towards a feature disposed on the compression paddle;
receiving a return signal from the feature in response to the emitted signal; and
determining a flexure of the compression paddle based at least in part on the return signal.