Image analysis – Applications – Biomedical applications
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-20
2003-09-02
Chang, Jon (Department: 2623)
Image analysis
Applications
Biomedical applications
C382S225000, C382S226000, C382S285000, C128S915000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06614921
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention, 3-D Localization of Clustered Microcalcifications using Cranio-Caudal (CC) and Medio-Lateral Oblique (MLO) Views, is a computer-aided 3-D localization method for needle biopsies in positioning breast clustered microcalcifications using Cranio-Caudal and Medio-Lateral Oblique Views. In coordination with a mammographic equipment, a 3-D breast virtual model can be displayed on personal computers or workstations installed with the system of the Invention. The method is of great help for doctors in identification of the spatial locations of clustered microcalcifications in breasts and the accurate determination of the number and coverage of clustered microcalcifications. The frequency of needle localization for biopsy can be considerably decreased, and thus waste of medical resources greatly reduced and efficiency enhanced.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
According to the report of Department of Health, Executive Yuan, breast cancer is the second most frequent occurring cancer among women in Taiwan, the morbidity and mortality of which is unfortunately continuously increasing.
At present, mammography is generally recognized as the most effective photographic tool for detecting early breast cancer that reported in 1992 by L. W. Bassett on Radiological Clinics of North America (vol. 30, pp. 93-105). Appearance of clustered microcalcifications is a signal of an impalpable early breast cancer. In 1990, S. A. Feig et al. published in Diagnostic Imaging (vol. 11, pp. 132-138) that 90% of nonpalpable in situ ductal carcinomas and 70% of nonpalpable minimal carcinomas are visible on microcalcifications alone. Diagnosis of microcalcifications of malignant breast cancer was becoming vital. In “Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis of Breast Calcifications” (pp.91-107) in 1986, M. Lanyi had claimed that, as early as 1960, many researches indicated some features of clustered microcalcifications were important for diagnosing malignant and benign breast cancer. However, according to the report published in Radiology (vol. 137, pp. 1-7) made by R. L. Egan et al. through analysis of a great number of cases, diagnoses of clustered calcifications were not reliable because of co-existence of both malignant and benign features. This makes diagnostic interpretation difficult. In this situation, most radiologists encourage biopsies, in spite of the fact that only 20%-30% of cases are proved to be malignant.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
On average clinical diagnosis via mammography, two views will be taken of the same breast: one is the cranio-caudal view (CC View), taken from a “head to toe” angle, and the other is the medio-lateral oblique view (MLO View), taken from an “oblique” angle. Doctors could initially determine the positions of lesions with the help of these two images before needle biopsy. But, when there are two or more clustered microcalcifications existing at the same time, or when clustered microcalcifications appear indistinct, it is not easy to exactly localize the clustered microcalcifications via these two images only. Thus, a needle localization method is adopted. To be brief, this is a method of repeating again and again the cycle of giving needle biopsies, taking mammograms, and calibrating the penetrating position till the exact lesion is detected. And then, a sample section is cut according to the position of the needle tip. Such operations as this have a heavy cost in terms of medical labor and resources to ensure lesion localization; besides, the invasion of needle biopsies and the X-ray of mammography is also painful and distressing for the patient.
Although there were a great many doctors engaged in efficient computer-aided mammographic systems from 1987 to 1996, most of these were diagnostic and analytic tools for microcalcifications in mammography, and provide little help with needle biopsies. [reported by H. P. Chan et al. on Med. Phy. (vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 538-548) in 1987, and by A. P. Dhawan et al. on IEEE Trans. On Medical Imaging (vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 246-259) in 1996.]
Regarding patents on localization of breast cancer lesions and on diagnosis and analysis of clustered microcalcifications. Some of these are for equipment such as: U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,463 which describes an “Apparatus for locating a breast mass,” which is a cell sampling device for palpable breast tumor and is completely different from the Invention emphasizing an automatic localization and 3-D display. U.S. Pat. No. 51,974,824 describes a “Helical-tipped lesion localization needle device,” which is equipped with a spiral thin needle convenient for users to prick into the marked lesions in the breast and thus has nothing to do with the Invention's localization method. U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,447 describes “Mammographic screening and biopsy apparatus,” which is a special equipment patients can lie on a platform allowing the breasts to be placed vertically through the corresponding holes in the platform convenient for taking mammograms of a lesion with two different angles. These two images are useful for adjusting the needle positions. Although this equipment adopts the same method of taking mammograms of lesions as the Invention, there is still a great difference between them—it is the users that calibrate the needle positions with reference to the images, no computer-aided 3-D breast virtual model is displayed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,706 describes a “Mammogram marking system,” which is a device used for adding remarks on the mammograms and is irrelevant to the Invention.
The other patents are specialized on methods of treatment, such as: U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,143 which describes a “Method and device for mammographic stereotactic punction of pathological lesions in the female breast,” which consists of a method and equipment for improving needling accuracy. Thus again, without a computer-aided 3-D breast virtual model display, this patent has nothing to do with the Invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,682 describes a “Method for locating a breast mass,” which is an improved drawing device that can draw out tumor organizations and is also irrelevant to the Invention which emphasizes a 3-D breast virtual model display. U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,004 describes a “Localization device with radiopaque markings,” which is a device for directing operations and, with its in-built needle, for cell sampling. It also is clearly quite different from the Invention because of its absence of computer-aided 3-D mammographic display. U.S. Pat. No. 5,426,685 describes the “Stereotactic mammography system imaging,” which provides a special bed for a patient to lie on and let her breasts hang down, and in such a way as to allow 3-D mammography to be carried out. Like the Invention, this method is used to take 3-D lesions display; the major difference between them is: this method needs special equipment, but the Invention uses only traditional mammographic equipment to take mammograms and a computer to process the mammograms produced. Besides, the Invention uses a 3-D breast virtual model display to show the relative positions of lesions in the breasts. U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,219 describes the “Procedure for automatic position-finding of points of interest during a mammography examination using stereotactic technique,” which provides a mammographic procedure for finding the positions of lesions of interest. It is different from the technique of position calibration used in the Invention and offers no 3-D display. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 360,947 describes the “Mammography imaging machine,” which is a new mammographic device but has nothing to do with lesion localization. U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,769 describes the “Method and apparatus for obtaining stereotactic mammographic guided needle breast biopsies,” which is an additive apparatus to the traditional mammographic device and is used in 3-D calibration of lesions. Like the Invention, it uses the traditional mammographic device; however, the greatest difference between them is that this device does not offer computer-aided 3-D breast & lesions display. Lastly U.
Chang Chein-I
Chung Pau-Choo
Lee San-Kan
Lo Chien-Shun
Yang Ching-Wen
Chang Jon
Gene Scott-Patent Law & Venture Group
Kim Charles
National Science Council
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