US 12,446,843 B2
Imaging with curved compression elements
Timothy R. Stango, Sandy Hook, CT (US); Jay A. Stein, Boston, MA (US); Biao Chen, Newark, DE (US); and Christopher Ruth, Boxford, MA (US)
Assigned to Hologic, Inc., Marlborough, MA (US)
Filed by Hologic, Inc., Marlborough, MA (US)
Filed on Apr. 23, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/642,974.
Application 18/642,974 is a continuation of application No. 18/119,106, filed on Mar. 8, 2023, granted, now 11,992,352.
Application 18/119,106 is a continuation of application No. 17/119,631, filed on Dec. 11, 2020, granted, now 11,633,164, issued on Apr. 25, 2023.
Application 17/119,631 is a continuation of application No. 16/348,343, granted, now 10,888,292, issued on Jan. 12, 2021, previously published as PCT/US2017/053311, filed on Sep. 25, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/531,807, filed on Jul. 12, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/419,336, filed on Nov. 8, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0341710 A1, Oct. 17, 2024
Int. Cl. A61B 6/50 (2024.01); A61B 6/00 (2024.01); A61B 6/04 (2006.01); A61B 6/58 (2024.01)
CPC A61B 6/502 (2013.01) [A61B 6/0414 (2013.01); A61B 6/5258 (2013.01); A61B 6/4447 (2013.01); A61B 6/582 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A breast compression paddle for use in an imaging system, the breast compression paddle comprising:
a curved bottom compression wall configured to contact a patient's breast;
a curved front wall configured to contact a patient's chest wall;
a curved right wall;
a curved left wall; and
a top wall spaced apart and opposing the curved bottom compression wall, wherein the curved right wall is connected to both the curved bottom compression wall and the top wall and curved in a convex shape therebetween, the curved left wall is connected to both the curved bottom compression wall and the top wall and curved in a convex shape therebetween, the curved right wall and the curved left wall are semicylindrical in shape and have equal radii, and the curved front wall is connected to both the curved bottom compression wall and the top wall and curved in a convex shape therebetween, the curved front wall is partially semicylindrical in shape and has the same radius as the curved right and left walls, and the curved front wall is connected to both the curved right wall and the curved left wall, and wherein all transitions between the curved bottom compression wall, the curved front wall, the curved right wall, the curved left wall, and the top wall do not form any sharp edges and the curved bottom compression wall, the curved front wall, the curved right wall, the curved left wall, and the top wall define a hollow interior cavity within the breast compression paddle.