Patent Publication Number: US-2009240114-A1

Title: Breast cancer diagnosis apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention claims priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0024825, filed on Mar. 18, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for diagnosing a breast cancer based on a heritability difference between a breast with normal tissue and that with cancer cells; and, more particularly, to a breast cancer diagnosis apparatus for accurately diagnosing a breast cancer in a short period of time by effectively controlling supply and speed of fluid. 
     This work was supported by the IT R&amp;D program of MIC/IITA [2007-F-043-01, “Study on Diagnosis and Protection Technology based on EM”]. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Recently, as medical and consciousness levels increase, early discovery and complete recovery rates of breast cancer have been increased. However, a development rate of the breast cancer has been relatively increased due to westernized way living, change in diet pattern, and environmental pollution. Also, westernized life styles represented by a single life, late marriage, an increase in first delivery age, a decrease in fertility rate, and decrease in breast milk feeding rate increase the development of the breast cancer. 
     The recovery rate of the breast cancer is greatly different according to stages of the cancer. To be specific, the recovery rate of the breast cancer in the third and fourth stages is much lower than that in the first and second stages. More than half patients discover their breast cancer when the cancer is in the third or fourth stage. Thus, it is urgently needed to develop a breast cancer diagnosis method. Typical breast cancer diagnosis methods use an x-ray, supersonic wave, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). 
     The x-ray is most widely used today among the above described methods for diagnosing the breast cancer. To take an x-ray picture, the breast is brought to a tight contact to a plastic board. The test procedure is relatively simple. However, image of the breast may be blurred unless the patient pushes her breast against the plastic board because the breast tissues are soft. That is, pushing the breast with a pressure is very important to get a clear image. Thus, the patient may feel shame during the test. 
     Also, x-ray picture cannot distinctively show a lump or a tumor that can be detected by a supersonic wave test when the breasts are dense breasts or heterogeneously dense breasts that look white due to high-density fat tissues, connective tissues, and mammary gland tissues. Furthermore, a minimum detection image size is more than approximately 5 mm. Thus, it is difficult to detect micro-calcification in an early stage of the cancer and diagnosis accuracy rate is not more than about 80%. 
     According to the method using supersonic waves, sound waves reflecting from objects are gathered to acquire an image of a breast and the breast image is used to detect a cyst or a solid tumor and determine size, shape, and density of the tumor. As a result, it is possible to decide whether a tumor is a cancer or a benign tumor. The method using supersonic waves can be used for a case when x-ray photographing is impossible or when it is difficult to make a diagnosis. For instance, the method using supersonic waves is used for women having an inflammatory breast disease, a dense breast tissues or pregnant women. However, the method using supersonic waves, too, hardly detect the micro-calcification. Thus, the method using supersonic waves is simultaneously used in combination with the x-ray image photographing. 
     MRI is efficient to figure out spread and stage of a breast cancer. However, it takes expensive cost, long image-picturing time, and complicated procedure. Furthermore, the MRI test is carried out in a limited space so that it is not suitable for the claustrophobic. 
     To solve the problems, recently, a technology using a microwave imaging is used. When normal cells are changed into cancer cells, the heritability of the cancer cells rapidly increases compared to that of the normal cells. Thus, it is possible to diagnose the breast cancer by sensing and imaging the heritability of the normal cell and the cancer cell. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a breast cancer diagnosis apparatus  100  and a separate fluid supply apparatus  200 . The breast cancer diagnosis apparatus  100  includes a measuring unit  10  filled with fluid having a heritability of a normal breast. The fluid is supplied to the measuring unit  10  through a fluid supply tube  12  from the fluid supply apparatus  200 . A sensing unit  11  disposed in the measuring unit  10  generates electromagnetic waves to sense the heritability in a breast. The sensed data is transmitted to a computer (not shown) and then imaged. 
     However, the typical breast cancer diagnosis apparatus uses a pump to supply the fluid even though pressure and airtight of the fluid are important. Since it is hard to control supply speed of the fluid, the fluid flows slowly and ineffectively. The measuring unit  10  cannot sense an overflow or a shortage of the fluid. That is, the typical breast cancer diagnosis apparatus cannot accurately diagnose the breast cancer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing a breast cancer diagnosis apparatus that can shorten time for diagnosing the breast cancer and sense and control the supply and flow rate of the fluid to rapidly and effectively supply the fluid by preventing the overflow or the shortage of the fluid, the breast cancer diagnosis apparatus accurately diagnoses the breast cancer. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a breast cancer diagnosis apparatus including a fluid supply unit, and a supply control unit for controlling the fluid supplied from the fluid supply unit. 
     The breast cancer diagnosis apparatus includes a fluid quantity detecting sensor for sensing quantity of fluid and a controller for controlling the fluid supply unit based on sensing information of the fluid quantity detecting sensor. 
     The breast cancer diagnosis apparatus includes a fluid supply unit for supplying the fluid to a measuring unit and a driving unit driving the fluid supply unit under control of the controller. 
     The breast cancer diagnosis apparatus also includes a cylinder storing the fluid and a piston moving to and fro in the cylinder to supply or withdraw to or from a measuring unit of the breast cancer diagnosis apparatus. 
     The driving unit of the present invention is a motor connected to the piston through a moving axis to move the piston to and fro. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood by the following description, and become apparent with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. Also, it is obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains that the objects and advantages of the present invention can be realized by the means as claimed and combinations thereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a breast cancer diagnosis apparatus  100  and a separate fluid supply apparatus  200 . 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a breast cancer diagnosis apparatus and a driving unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS 
     The advantages, features and aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of a breast cancer diagnosis apparatus and a driving unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the breast cancer diagnosis apparatus of the present invention includes a fluid supply apparatus  500 . Since the fluid supply unit  500  supplying the fluid is controlled by a supply control unit  400 . Thus, it is possible to rapidly and effectively transmit the fluid and prevent an overflow or a shortage of the fluid to accurately diagnose the breast cancer. 
     The supply control unit  400  includes a fluid quantity detecting sensor  41  disposed at the end of a measuring unit  30  to sense the fluid quantity supplied to the measuring unit  30 . 
     A controller  42  controls a driving unit of the fluid supply apparatus  500  based on the sensing information which is fluid quantity of the fluid quantity detecting sensor  41 . Thus, the controller  42  can control the quantity and flow rate of the fluid supplied to the measuring unit  30 . 
     The fluid supply apparatus  500  supplies fluid based on a control signal from a supply control apparatus  400 . The fluid supply apparatus  500  includes a fluid supply unit  51  and a driving unit. 
     The fluid supply unit  51  supplies the fluid to the measuring unit  30 . Various technologies such as a pump system or a spray system controlled by the controller  42  can be applied to the fluid supply unit  51 . In this embodiment, cylinder  51 A storing the fluid and piston  51 B are applied to accurately control the supply pressure and the flow rate of the fluid. The piston  51 B moves to and fro in the cylinder  51 A and supplies or withdraws the fluid in the cylinder  51 A to or from the measuring unit  30  through the fluid supply tube  32 . 
     Furthermore, in this embodiment, an O-ring  51 C is connected to a circumferential surface of the piston  51 B to simultaneously secure an airtight and a pressure between the piston  51 B and the cylinder  51 A. 
     The driving unit drives the fluid supply unit  51 . Hereinafter, the embodiment of the driving unit is described referring to  FIG. 2 . 
     The driving unit controlled by the controller  42  can apply various technologies. In this embodiment, a motor  52  is applied for a utility efficiency in consideration of a production cost of the apparatus. 
     When the motor  52  is applied, referring to  FIG. 2 , the motor  52  controlled by the controller  42  of the supply control apparatus  400  is connected to the piston  51 B through a moving axis  52 A and a gear unit (not shown). As a result, the piston  51 B moves to and fro using a rotation force of the motor  52 . 
     The breast cancer diagnosis apparatus controls the supply and flow rate of the fluid to rapidly and effectively supply the fluid. As a result, time for diagnosing the breast cancer is shortened. Also, by preventing the overflow or the shortage of the fluid, the breast cancer diagnosis apparatus accurately diagnoses the breast cancer. 
     While the present invention has been described with respect to the specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.