Karen Denise Maroc

US Patent:

6695786, Feb 24, 2004

Filed:

Mar 18, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/100649

Inventors:

Shih-Ping Wang - Los Altos CA
Siqing Zhang - Sunnyvale CA
Donald Chin - Palo Alto CA
Karen D. Maroc - San Jose CA

Assignee:

U-Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

A61B 814

US Classification:

600461, 600437, 600464, 600417

Abstract:

An instrument guide is described for mounting an invasive instrument such as a biopsy needle to an imaging probe, controlling its position, monitoring its position, and/or predictively displaying its position on a user display of the medical imaging system. A plurality of substantially rigid segments are hingeably connected to the probe, to an instrument handle, and to each other such that movement of the biopsy needle is restricted to within the imaged plane. However, substantial freedom of movement within the imaged plane is provided such that the instrument may be inserted into the patient over a wide range of angles. In one preferred embodiment, angle detectors are provided at each segment intersection and measurements provided for computing and displaying the instrument position and orientation on the user display. The instrument guide/position monitor is preferably made with low-cost components such that it is disposable after a single use. A predictive user display is provided in which the throw of a spring-loaded instrument is shown on the user display, the throw corresponding to the space that the instrument will occupy after a spring trigger is activated.

US Patent:

20020167549, Nov 14, 2002

Filed:

May 14, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/854654

Inventors:

Tommy Cupples - Columbia SC, US
Donald Chin - Palo Alto CA, US
Karen Maroc - San Jose CA, US

International Classification:

G09G005/00
G09G005/08
A61B008/00

US Classification:

345/835000, 345/158000, 600/437000

Abstract:

A method, system, and computer program product for providing textual ultrasound probe position information corresponding to an ultrasound image of a target is described. Based on a user's graphical manipulations of a probe icon relative to a breast icon, a text sequence corresponding to the user's estimate of the position of an ultrasound probe is automatically generated. User error and fatigue are reduced because manual keying of the probe position text sequence is no longer required, and the resulting outputs are standardized in format and therefore more amenable to archiving and electronic analysis. In one preferred embodiment, the user is permitted to select a snapping mode of operation in which the probe icon is snapped to align with a major direction of a preselected coordinate system, further enhancing ease-of-use and reducing user fatigue.