Patent US6154518A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6516045B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6516045B2
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US
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Device and method for determining proportions of body materials
Assignee: University of California, San Diego
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Filing: 2001-05-04
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Granted: 2003-02-04
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Expires: 2021-05-04
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a radiation device that includes a device for retaining therein the body part in a uniform position. In addition, at least two reference materials that have attenuation characteristics are used and retained in the retaining device. The reference materials are being positioned for the comparative determination during a simultaneous irradiation of the body part and the reference materials. The attenuation characteristics of the reference materials are selected in correspondence to the attenuation characteristics of the body materials in the body part. A radiation device for simultaneously irradiating the body part and the reference materials is used to create attenuated beams. A detector is used to detect the attenuated beams as attenuated values. A calculating device is included for calculating the proportion of the body materials that define a particular body part of interest based on the attenuated values of the materials and the body part.
Inventors
- 👤 John A. Shepherd
- 👤 Steven R. Cummings
- 👤 Karla Kerlikowske
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/58; A61B6/582; A61B6/583; A61B6/50; A61B6/502; A61B6/508; G; G01; G01N; G01N23/00; G01N23/02; G01N23/06; G01N23/083
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A radiation device for comparatively determining a proportion of body materials defining a body part, said radiation device comprising: (a) a device for retaining therein said body part in a uniform position; (b) at least two reference materials having attenuation characteristics, said reference materials being positioned for said comparative determination during a simultaneous irradiation of said body part and said reference materials, and wherein said attenuation characteristics are selected in correspondence to said body materials; (c) a radiation means for simultaneously irradiating said body part and said reference materials thereby creating attenuated beams of said materials and said body part; (d) a detector to detect said attenuated beams as attenuated values of said materials and said body part; and (e) a calculating means for calculating said proportion of said body materials defining a body part based on said attenuated values of said materials and said body part.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
A radiation device for comparatively determining a proportion of body materials defining a body part, said radiation device comprising: (a) a device for retaining therein said body part in a uniform position; (b) at least two reference materials having attenuation characteristics, said reference materials being positioned for said comparative determination during a simultaneous irradiation of said body part and said reference materials, and wherein said attenuation characteristics are selected in correspondence to said body materials; (c) a radiation means for simultaneously irradiating said body part and said reference materials thereby creating attenuated beams of said materials and said body part; (d) a detector to detect said attenuated beams as attenuated values of said materials and said body part; and (e) a calculating means for calculating said proportion of said body materials defining a body part based on said attenuated values of said materials and said body part.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said body part is a breast and said proportion is a breast density.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said retaining device further comprises means for adjusting to host and retain said body part and said materials of various sizes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said reference materials are solids.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 4 , wherein one of said attenuation characteristics of said reference materials is equivalent to an attenuation characteristic of a fat tissue.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 4 , wherein one of said attenuation characteristics of said reference materials is equivalent to an attenuation characteristic of a glandular tissue.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said reference materials are liquids contained in compartments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 7 , wherein one of said attenuation characteristics of said reference materials is equivalent to an attenuation characteristic of a fat tissue.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 7 , wherein one of said liquids is an oil.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 7 , wherein one of said attenuation characteristics of said reference materials is equivalent to an attenuation characteristic of a glandular tissue.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 7 , wherein one of said liquids is a water.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said reference materials is a solid and at least one of said reference materials is a liquid contained in a compartment.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said solid has an attenuation characteristic equivalent to a fat tissue and said liquid has an attenuation characteristic equivalent to a glandular tissue.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 13 , wherein said liquid is a water.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said liquid has an attenuation characteristic equivalent to a fat tissue and said solid has an attenuation characteristic equivalent to a glandular tissue.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 15 , wherein said liquid is an oil.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said reference materials are construed as blocks.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said reference materials are construed as wedges.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said reference materials are construed in cylindrical compartments.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said radiation means is a single energy X-ray absorptiometer.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said radiation means is a single photon absorptiometer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said detector presents said attenuated beams in attenuation values.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said attenuation values are presented by said detector according to a color scheme.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said attenuation values are presented by said detector according to a gray scale.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The radiation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said calculating means further comprises means for correcting said attenuation values for position dependent variations of said radiation means.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for comparatively determining a proportion of body materials defining a body part, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a device for retaining therein said body part in a uniform position; (b) providing at least two reference materials having attenuation characteristics, said reference materials being positioned for said comparative determination during a simultaneous irradiation of said body part and said reference materials, and wherein said attenuation characteristics are selected in correspondence to said body materials; (c) providing a radiation means for simultaneously irradiating said body part and said reference materials thereby creating attenuated beams of said materials and said body part; (d) providing a detector to detect said attenuated beams as attenuated values of said materials and said body part; (e) providing a calculating means for calculating said proportion of said body materials defining a body part based on said attenuated values of said materials and said body part.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
150 words
A method for comparatively determining a proportion of body materials defining a body part, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a device for retaining therein said body part in a uniform position; (b) providing at least two reference materials having attenuation characteristics, said reference materials being positioned for said comparative determination during a simultaneous irradiation of said body part and said reference materials, and wherein said attenuation characteristics are selected in correspondence to said body materials; (c) providing a radiation means for simultaneously irradiating said body part and said reference materials thereby creating attenuated beams of said materials and said body part; (d) providing a detector to detect said attenuated beams as attenuated values of said materials and said body part; (e) providing a calculating means for calculating said proportion of said body materials defining a body part based on said attenuated values of said materials and said body part.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said body part is a breast and said proportion is a breast density.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said step of providing a retaining device further comprises the step of providing means for adjusting to host and retain said body part and said materials of various sizes.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said reference materials are solids.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as set forth in claim 29 , wherein one of said attenuation characteristics of said reference materials is equivalent to an attenuation characteristic of a fat tissue.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as set forth in claim 29 , wherein one of said attenuation characteristics of said reference materials is equivalent to an attenuation characteristic of a glandular tissue.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said reference materials are liquids contained in compartments.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as set forth in claim 32 , wherein one of said attenuation characteristics of said reference materials is equivalent to an attenuation characteristic of a fat tissue.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as set forth in claim 33 , wherein one of said liquids is an oil.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as set forth in claim 32 , wherein one of said attenuation characteristics of said reference materials is equivalent to an attenuation characteristic of a glandular tissue.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as set forth in claim 35 , wherein one of said liquids is a water.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein at least one of said reference materials is a solid and at least one of said reference materials is a liquid contained in a compartment.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as set forth in claim 37 , wherein said solid has an attenuation characteristic equivalent to a fat tissue and said liquid has an attenuation characteristic equivalent to a glandular tissue.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as set forth in claim 38 , wherein said liquid is a water.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as set forth in claim 39 , wherein said liquid has an attenuation characteristic equivalent to a fat tissue and said solid has an attenuation characteristic equivalent to a glandular tissue.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method as set forth in claim 40 , wherein said liquid is an oil.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said reference materials are construed as blocks.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said reference materials are construed as wedges.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said reference materials are construed in cylindrical compartments.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said radiation means is a single energy X-ray absorptiometer.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said radiation means is a single photon absorptiometer.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said attenuation values are presented by said detector according to a color scheme.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said attenuation values are presented by said detector according to a gray scale.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as set forth in claim 26 , wherein said step of providing calculating means further comprises the step of providing means for correcting said attenuation values for position dependent variations of said radiation means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-02-03 | 2006-08-05 | 2007-02-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-02-03 | 2010-08-05 | 2011-02-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-02-03 | 2014-08-05 | 2015-02-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |