Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-14
2002-11-19
Jaworski, Francis J. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
C600S443000, C600S459000, C128S915000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06482158
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ultrasonic medical monitoring and, more specifically, to a system and method of ultrasonic mammography for detecting a physiological condition of a patient's breast.
2. Description of the Related Art
Medical monitoring involves the measurement of a physiological condition of a patient. An example of a medical monitor is disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/669,125 (filed Sep. 25, 2000) and Ser. No. 09/821,417 (filed Mar. 29, 2001, entitled “Monitoring System”), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Conventional breast imaging is typically accomplished using a mammography ultrasound device within a medical setting, such as a hospital or clinic. The American Medical Association has set forth guidelines recommending how frequently a woman should undergo a mammography, since early detection of a medical condition, such as breast cancer, greatly affects the success of treatment for the condition. However, access to the hospital or clinic may affect the frequency in which the patient undergoes a mammography.
While the mammography devices currently used work well, some women may procrastinate in receiving a mammography, since the current method for obtaining an ultrasonic image of a breast typically often involves some discomfort to the patient, e.g. through pressing the breast as flat as possible. Thus, there is a need in the art for a system and method of breast imaging using ultrasonic measurements, which does not cause such discomfort. Further, the measurements may be carried out at the home of the user, and the information transmitted to a medical health provider over a communications network for analysis and evaluation purposes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One advantage of the present invention is that a system and method of ultrasonic mammography is provided for remote imaging of a breast of a patient. Another advantage of the present invention is that a system and method is provided that obtains an ultrasonic image of the patient's breast, stores the data, and transmits the data to a healthcare provider via an Internet. Still another advantage of the present invention is that a system and method is provided that includes an ultrasonic transducer disposed within a brassiere device to obtain the ultrasonic image of the patient's breast. Yet still another advantage of the present invention is that a system and method is provided that includes a personal digital assistant that stores the measured data and transmits the data via the Internet to the healthcare provider. A further advantage of the present invention is that a system and method is provided wherein the healthcare provider can evaluate the image of the breast in real-time irrespective of the physical location of the patient and the healthcare provider. Yet a further advantage of the present invention is that a system and method is provided that is cost-effective in obtaining an image of the patient's breast.
Accordingly, the present invention is a system and method for ultrasonic mammography. The system for ultrasonic mammography includes an ultrasonic mammography device for constructing an ultrasonic image of a breast having a support structure with an ultrasonic transducer mounted on the support structure. The system also includes a personal digital assistant operatively connected to the ultrasonic transducer via a communication link, a patient computer system operatively connected to the personal digital assistant via a second communication link, and a healthcare provider computer system operatively connected to the patient computer system via an internet, for constructing the image of the breast. The method includes the steps of positioning the ultrasonic mammography device having an ultrasonic transducer on the patient and activating the ultrasonic transducer to generate a signal for constructing an image of the breast. The method also includes the steps of transmitting the signal from the ultrasonic transducer to the personal digital assistant, and transmitting the signal via an internet to a healthcare provider computer. The method further includes the steps of using the signal to construct an image of the patient's breast.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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Gifford, Krass, Groh Sprinkle, Anderson & Citkowski, P.C.
Healthetech, Inc.
Jaworski Francis J.
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