Patent Description:
In the medical field there are often numerous pieces of mechanized diagnostic equipment deployed for use in patient care. Often, multiple pieces of equipment made by different manufacturers are employed by practitioners during the examination of a patient. In a typical arrangement, patient positioning equipment is coupled with the usage of diagnostic equipment, e.g., a mammogram device, dental x-ray machine, endoscopy, ultrasound guided biopsy practice, etc..

For example, the process of obtaining high quality mammographic images or biopsies from breast tissue generally requires a practitioner to orchestrate multiple pieces of equipment while also ensuring proper patient positioning, and equipment configuration. In particular, a practitioner may coordinate movements of a mammographic gantry, including lift, rotation, and angle. Further controls are required to control breast compression, imaging parameters (i.e., field of view, lighting, dosage); and in the case of ultrasound-guided biopsies, biopsy probe movement, suction controls, and ultrasonic imaging parameters. Patients are often positioned and supported during interventional mammographic procedures using mechanized chairs or tables.

In the case of a breast biopsy, a mammographic practitioner must account for the location of the lesion, the type of equipment available in the room, and the constraints upon such equipment in order to determine an optimal position for a patient to hold, as well as the correct configuration for the biopsy equipment used during a biopsy procedure.

Traditionally, a medical assistant must prepare the room prior to the patient's arrival. The assistant, however, must often wait for the patient to arrive at the room containing the medical equipment before knowing the patient's positional preferences, e.g., sitting or recumbent, for a particular procedure, e.g., a mammogram and/or biopsy procedure. Moreover, the medical assistant may not know the particular equipment configuration required, or preferred by the controlling entity of the medical equipment (e.g., the preferences of hospital staff), for the medical procedure to be performed, e.g., a vertical or horizontal approach for a biopsy needle. Further, the patient's position and/or the equipment configuration may be determined by the patient's morphology and/or lesion location, which may be unknown to the medical assistant.

Thus, medical assistants must often guess both the patient's desired position and/or the correct equipment configuration prior to the arrival of the patient and/or the preferences of the technologist/operator performing the medical procedure. As will be understood, however, incorrect guesses/assumptions by the medical assistant may require the medical equipment to be repositioned upon arrival of the patient and/or operator preforming the medical procedure, which in turn, generally decreases the efficiency of the medical procedure, e.g., increases the amount of time the patient, medical assistant, and/or operator performing the medical procedure, must spend in the room. In some instances, incorrect positioning of the patient and/or configuration of the medical equipment may result in a defective procedure, e.g., a biopsy needle may not reach its intended target, thus requiring the procedure to be re-started/redone. While many experienced medical assistants may be able to guess the correct patient position and/or equipment configuration for a particular procedure with a high rate of success, many inexperienced medical assistants will usually guess incorrectly. <CIT> describes an X-ray imaging apparatus which guides the patient posture using a visual and/or audible interaction device during execution of an X-ray imaging procedure such as mammography, and provides the patient with information about the procedure during the procedure's execution, thereby improving the patient experience while reducing the workload of an operator. The X-ray imaging apparatus may include an X-ray tube, an X-ray detector, and an arm including an upper end within which the X-ray tube is disposed, and a lower end within which the X-ray detector is disposed. An illumination unit may be configured to provide an indication of a movement direction of the arm, responsive to a user input for moving the arm in the movement direction. A controller may control the illumination unit.

What is needed, therefore, is an improved system and method for selecting a patient position and an equipment configuration for a medical procedure.

In an embodiment, a system for selecting a patient position and an equipment configuration for a medical procedure is provided. The system includes a controller, and a memory device operative to store an application. The application adapts the controller to retrieve, from the memory device, one or more possible patient positions for the medical procedure and one or more possible equipment configurations for the medical procedure. The application further adapts the controller to select, based at least in part on one or more parameters of the medical procedure, a patient position from the possible patient positions and an equipment configuration from the possible equipment configurations; and to generate an indicator that conveys the selected patient position and the equipment configuration. In the presently claimed invention, the medical procedure is a breast biopsy.

In another embodiment, a method for selecting a patient position and an equipment configuration for a medical procedure is provided. The method includes retrieving, via a controller from a memory device, one or more possible patient positions for the medical procedure and one or more possible equipment configurations for the medical procedure. The method further includes selecting, via the controller and based at least in part on one or more parameters of the medical procedure, a patient position from the possible patient positions and an equipment configuration from the possible equipment configurations. The method further includes generating, via the controller, an indicator that conveys the selected patient position and the equipment configuration. In the presently claimed invention, the medical procedure is a breast biopsy.

Also disclosed herein, but not forming part of the claimed invention, is a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions. The stored instructions adopt a controller to retrieve, from a memory device, one or more possible patient positions for a medical procedure and one or more possible equipment configurations for the medical procedure. The stored instructions further adapt the controller to select, based at least in part on one or more parameters of the medical procedure, a patient configuration from the possible patient positions and an equipment configuration from the possible equipment configurations, and to generate an indicator that conveys the selected patient position and equipment configuration.

Reference will be made below in detail to exemplary embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference characters used throughout the drawings refer to the same or like parts, without duplicative description.

As used herein, the terms "substantially," "generally," and "about" indicate conditions within reasonably achievable manufacturing and assembly tolerances, relative to ideal desired conditions suitable for achieving the functional purpose of a component or assembly. As used herein, "electrically coupled", "electrically connected", and "electrical communication" mean that the referenced elements are directly or indirectly connected such that an electrical current may flow from one to the other. The connection may include a direct conductive connection, i.e., without an intervening capacitive, inductive or active element, an inductive connection, a capacitive connection, and/or any other suitable electrical connection. Intervening components may be present. Additionally, the term "medical procedure", as used herein, refers to a series of steps involving a patient and equipment that is intended to achieve a desired medical outcome. Examples of medical procedures include mammograms, breast biopsies, stent deployments, dental x-rays, etc. The term "patient position", as used herein, refers to the physical configuration/position of a patient during a medical procedure. The terms "medical equipment" and/or "equipment", as used herein, refers to any type of device used to perform a medical procedure.

Further, while the embodiments disclosed herein are described with respect to a breast biopsy system and procedure, it is to be understood that embodiments not forming part of the present invention may be applicable to other types of medical procedures which involve the selection/pairing of a patient position and medical equipment configuration. Further still, as will be appreciated, the related imaging systems may be used to analyze tissue generally and are not limited to human tissue.

Referring now to <FIG>, the major components of a system <NUM> for selecting a patient position <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and an equipment configuration <NUM>, <NUM> for a medical procedure, e.g., a mammography exam, breast biopsy, etc., are shown. The system <NUM> includes a controller <NUM> and a memory device <NUM>. The memory device <NUM> stores an application <NUM> (<FIG>) that adapts the controller <NUM> to retrieve, from the memory device <NUM>, one or more possible patient positions <NUM>, and one or more possible equipment configurations <NUM> for the medical procedure. As will be understood, equipment configurations <NUM> may include, but are not limited to: equipment orientations, e.g., a vertical, horizontal, or other directional approach/trajectory for a biopsy probe to traverse in order to reach a target/lesion site; probe size, e.g., a needle gauge and/or length; an amount of anesthesia and/or dye to be injected into the patient, and/or other appropriate configuration settings for medical equipment. The application <NUM> further adapts the controller <NUM> to select, based at least in part on one or more parameters <NUM> of the medical procedure, a patient position, e.g., patient position <NUM>, from the possible patient positions <NUM>, and an equipment configuration, e.g., equipment configuration <NUM>, from the possible equipment configurations <NUM>; and to generate an indicator <NUM>, <NUM> that conveys the selected patient position <NUM> and the equipment configuration <NUM>. In other words, in embodiments, the controller <NUM> generates an indictor <NUM>, <NUM> that informs a medical assistant as to the patient position and equipment configuration to be used to perform/conduct a particular medical procedure for a particular patient. The indicator may be a visual indicator <NUM>, e.g., message box, light, etc., and/or an audio indicator <NUM>, e.g., musical chime, computerized voice, etc..

As shown in <FIG>, the controller <NUM> may be a mobile electronic device, e.g., a tablet, smart phone, laptop, etc., which is used by an operator/technician/medical assistant to determine the most appropriate configuration for a medical procedure, i.e., how to best position a patient, how to configure the equipment used to accomplished a medical procedure on the patient, etc. For example, a radiologist assistant may work at a medical facility <NUM>, e.g., a hospital, doctor's office, etc., having a plurality of examination/procedure rooms <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. As will be appreciated, while <FIG> depicts the rooms <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> within the same medical facility <NUM>, it is to be understood that the rooms <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be distributed across several facilities which may be operated by the same and/or different entities. Each of the rooms <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may have the same and/or different medical equipment <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> that is operative/configured to perform a medical procedure on a patient <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

Turning to <FIG>, an exemplary piece of medical equipment <NUM>, e.g., a mammography imaging system/machine/device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The mammography imaging system <NUM> may include an imaging device/system <NUM> and a controller <NUM>. The imaging device <NUM> is operative to obtain one or more images of the patient <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> (<FIG>), e.g., a human breast or other body part/area of interest. The controller <NUM> electronically communicates with the imaging device <NUM>, via data link <NUM>, which, in embodiments, may be a wired and/or wireless connection.

As further shown in <FIG>, the imaging device <NUM> includes a radiation source/emitter <NUM> and a radiation detector <NUM>. The radiation source <NUM> is operative to emit radiation rays and is selectively adjustable between one or more positions, e.g., the radiation source <NUM> may be mounted to a stand/support <NUM> via a rotatable mount <NUM> such that the radiation source <NUM> rotates about a longitudinal axis <NUM>. The radiation detector <NUM> is operative to receive the radiation rays from the radiation source <NUM>. In embodiments, the imaging device <NUM> may include one or more paddles <NUM> e.g., a compression plate, mounted to the stand <NUM> and slidably adjustable along axis <NUM> (and/or other axis/direction) so as to compress and/or restrain the patient <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> (<FIG>), e.g., a breast, against the detector <NUM>.

In embodiments, the controller <NUM> may be a workstation having at least one processor <NUM> and a memory device <NUM>. In other embodiments, the controller <NUM> may be embedded / integrated into one or more of the various components of the imaging device <NUM> disclosed above. In embodiments, the controller <NUM> may be in electrical communication with the radiation source <NUM>, radiation detector <NUM>, the paddles <NUM>, the controller <NUM> (<FIG>) via link <NUM>. In embodiments, the controller <NUM> may include a radiation shield <NUM> that protects an operator of the medical equipment <NUM> from the radiation rays emitted by the radiation source <NUM>. The controller <NUM> may further include a display <NUM>, a keyboard <NUM>, mouse <NUM>, and/or other appropriate user input devices, that facilitate control of the medical equipment <NUM> via a user interface <NUM>.

Illustrated in <FIG> is a process flow chart depicting operation of the system <NUM>, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, a practitioner, who may perform the medical procedure on the patient <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> (<FIG>) may interact with a graphical user interface ("GUI") on controller apart from controller <NUM>, e.g., a work station or other mobile device, designed to accept practitioner input, acknowledge the input, and then pass the input to controller <NUM> and/or <NUM>, which may act upon the input and alter a user interface on controller <NUM> and/or <NUM>. The user interface, for example, may be a GUI displayed on a monitor <NUM> (<FIG>) coupled to/disposed in controller <NUM>, on display <NUM> (<FIG>), or other electronic device capable of depicting an interactive GUI. In embodiments, the user interface may be hardware tailored to accept inputs specific to the method; for example, a physical switch which in a first state indicates that a patient preference is to sit upright (as shown in room <NUM> in <FIG>), a second state indicates a patient preference to remain recumbent (as shown in room <NUM> in <FIG>), and a third state indicates a patient preference to stand (as shown in room <NUM> in <FIG>). As will be appreciated, it is contemplated that the user interface takes the form of a GUI displayed on the screen of a computer-driven display. Thus, areas of the GUI where a practitioner enters in commands or values as part of the method are referred to via the generic term "screen", although other forms of display, such as an LED readout, or indicator lights, may also be within the scope of practice.

As shown in <FIG>, a practitioner may enter in login credentials at login screen <NUM> or may be authorized via biometric marker using a fingerprint scanner or facial or optical recognition apparatus (not shown). The credentials are passed to login protocol <NUM> which may retrieve user data from a local storage device (not shown) or from a user database <NUM> and which permits access to and initiates subsequent method steps. The login protocol <NUM> may also determine the credentials or a user category of the practitioner (e.g., technician, radiologist, doctor, nurse, etc.), thus setting the complexity and capability of the overall algorithm. For example, a technician may make initial decisions for configuration and provide inputs for variable values which are subsequently reviewed and approved by a physician or radiologist whereas actions dictated by a physician would be immediately accepted and acted upon. In embodiments, the medical assistant may enter in the name of the practitioner performing the medical procedure into the GUI, which in turn, may cause the GUI to display the practitioner's preferences for equipment configuration and/or patient position.

A series of examination room configurations is then retrieved <NUM> from storage either locally, from a remote memory storage unit (not shown), or from the same memory unit as user database <NUM>. The possible configurations are displayed and selected in set up screens <NUM>. By way of non-limiting example, an examination room <NUM> (<FIG>) containing a combination of mammography imaging system <NUM> (<FIG>) and patient support table <NUM> (<FIG>) may be chosen as a room configuration. Room configuration data, such as mammography imaging system <NUM> type and tolerances, along with patient support table <NUM> movement capability, along with the presence and specifications of any accessory devices, is then stored as configuration data <NUM> and the practitioner proceeds into Lesion Location and Breast Morphology Definition protocol <NUM>.

As part of Lesion Location and Breast Morphology Definition protocol <NUM>, initial patient physiology data (e.g., images, computer-aided-detection data ("CAD"), header information, pre-entered data, lesion location data, etc.) may be retrieved from local or offsite storage <NUM> and sent to algorithm <NUM> without further practitioner input. In embodiments, some, all, or none of the initial patient data may be overlaid over a generic model or representative image <NUM>, e.g., a wireframe or other suitable depiction retrieved from a patient file in database <NUM>, is then displayed <NUM> in the user interface as a screen or series of screens <NUM> configured to enable the practitioner to select and enter variable values (e.g. breast thickness, size, lesion location, distance to skin, etc.) to create final patient physiology data <NUM>. Variables entered can include: target lesion quadrant, breast thickness, breast size, distance to skin, and other physiological or machine parameters necessary to the medical protocol performed. The patient physiology data <NUM> may or may not be combined with patient data retrieved from local or offsite storage <NUM> before being sent to algorithm <NUM>.

In embodiments, patient data retrieved at <NUM> and patient data <NUM>, singly or together, are combined with configuration data <NUM> via algorithm <NUM> to generate procedure parameters <NUM> (e.g., patient position and configuration, movements for patient support table <NUM>, position settings for a gantry, biopsy probe pivot value (horizontal/vertical), hook vs. syringe type probe and size, etc.). As will be understood, however, one or more of the parameters <NUM> may be pre-determined and/or retrieved from an external database. The procedure parameters <NUM> are displayed via a results screen <NUM> which, upon approval by the practitioner, or supervisor, may initiate implementation <NUM> of the configuration conforming to the procedure parameters <NUM>.

Accordingly, returning briefly back to <FIG>, in embodiments, the parameters <NUM> for the medical procedure may include at least one of room configuration data <NUM>, patient physiology data <NUM>, medical device data <NUM>, and/or other parameters that impact and/or control the medical procedure to be performed. Room configuration data <NUM> may include the location of the medical equipment <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, the size/shape of the room, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and other appropriate properties of the room <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> which may affect the medical procedure.

In embodiments, the one or more possible patient positions <NUM> may include at least one of sitting <NUM>, recumbent <NUM>, and/or other suitable/appropriate patient positions for the medical procedure, e.g., standing <NUM> or kneeling. In embodiments, the possible patient positions <NUM> may convey a direction the patient <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is to face with respect to the medical equipment <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, e.g., to the left or right.

Moving to <FIG>, as stated above, in the presently claimed invention, the medical procedure is a breast biopsy. As will be understood, breast biopsy procedures may involve/utilize a biopsy probe <NUM> that penetrates/compresses a breast <NUM>. Accordingly, in embodiments, the medical device data <NUM> (<FIG>) may convey whether the biopsy probe <NUM> is a needle (as shown in <FIG>), a hook (as shown in <FIG>), e.g., a hook-wire for breast localization, and/or other appropriate type of biopsy probe. For example, in some embodiments, the medical device data <NUM> may convey the type, gauge, and/or length of the needle <NUM> (<FIG>) to be used, e.g., <NUM> or a <NUM>. In embodiments, the medical device data <NUM> may be based on the options available in the particular room <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> (<FIG>) and/or the preference of the patient <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and/or the physician performing the medical procedure.

In embodiments, the possible equipment configurations <NUM> may include an approach angle θ (<FIG>) for the biopsy probe <NUM>, e.g., the angle at which a trajectory <NUM> of the biopsy probe <NUM> makes with a horizontal axis <NUM> of the breast <NUM>. In embodiments, the approach angle θ may be substantially zero (<NUM>) degrees or substantially ninety (<NUM>) degrees. In other words, the selected equipment configuration for the biopsy probe <NUM> may be substantially vertical <NUM> (<FIG>) or substantially horizontal <NUM> (<FIG>). As will be understood, however, the approach angle θ may vary.

In embodiments, the patient physiology data <NUM> (<FIG>) may include at least one of a lesion location, i.e., the target site of a biopsy, a breast <NUM> density, a breast <NUM> thickness, and an initial distance D (<FIG>) between the biopsy probe <NUM> and the breast <NUM>.

Finally, it is also to be understood that the system <NUM> may include the necessary electronics, software, memory, storage, databases, firmware, logic/state machines, microprocessors, communication links, displays or other visual or audio user interfaces, printing devices, and any other input/output interfaces to perform the functions described herein and/or to achieve the results described herein. For example, as previously mentioned, the system <NUM> may include at least one processor and system memory / data storage structures, which may include random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). The at least one processor of the system <NUM> may include one or more conventional microprocessors and one or more supplementary co-processors such as math co-processors or the like. The data storage structures discussed herein may include an appropriate combination of magnetic, optical and/or semiconductor memory, and may include, for example, RAM, ROM, flash drive, an optical disc such as a compact disc and/or a hard disk or drive.

Additionally, a software application that adapts the controller to perform the methods disclosed herein may be read into a main memory of the at least one processor from a computer-readable medium. The term "computer-readable medium", as used herein, refers to any medium that provides or participates in providing instructions to the at least one processor of the system <NUM> (or any other processor of a device described herein) for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical, magnetic, or opto-magnetic disks, such as memory. Volatile media include dynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes the main memory. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, a RAM, a PROM, an EPROM or EEPROM (electronically erasable programmable read-only memory), a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

While in embodiments, the execution of sequences of instructions in the software application causes at least one processor to perform the methods/processes described herein, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of, or in combination with, software instructions for implementation of the methods/processes of the present invention. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and/or software.

It is further to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope.

For example, in an embodiment, a system for selecting a patient position and an equipment configuration for a medical procedure is provided. The system includes a controller, and a memory device operative to store an application. The application adapts the controller to retrieve, from the memory device, one or more possible patient positions for the medical procedure and one or more possible equipment configurations for the medical procedure. The application further adapts the controller to select, based at least in part on one or more parameters of the medical procedure, a patient position from the possible patient positions and an equipment configuration from the possible equipment configurations; and to generate an indicator that conveys the selected patient position and the equipment configuration. In certain embodiments, the one or more parameters of the medical procedure include at least one of: room configuration data; patient physiology data; and medical device data. In the presently claimed invention, the medical procedure is a breast biopsy. In certain embodiments, the one or more possible patient positions include at least one of sitting and recumbent. In certain embodiments, the possible equipment configurations include an approach angle for a biopsy probe and/or a needle length of the biopsy probe. In certain embodiments, the one or more parameters of the medical procedure include medical device data, and the application further adapts the controller to receive the medical device data via a user input device. In certain embodiments, the medical device data conveys whether the medical procedure utilizes a hook or a needle. In certain embodiments, the patient physiology data includes at least one of: a lesion location; a breast density; a breast thickness; and an initial distance between a biopsy probe and a breast. In certain embodiments, the controller is disposed in a mobile electronic device having a graphical display and user input device. In certain embodiments, the application further adapts the controller to receive at least one of the possible patient positions via a user input device, and store the received at least one possible patient position in the memory device.

Other embodiments provide for a method for selecting a patient position and an equipment configuration for a medical procedure. The method includes retrieving, via a controller from a memory device, one or more possible patient positions for the medical procedure and one or more possible equipment configurations for the medical procedure. The method further includes selecting, via the controller and based at least in part on one or more parameters of the medical procedure, a patient position from the possible patient positions and an equipment configuration from the possible equipment configurations. The method further includes generating, via the controller, an indicator that conveys the selected patient position and the equipment configuration. In certain embodiments, the one or more parameters of the medical procedure include at least one of: room configuration data; patient physiology data; and medical data. In the presently claimed invention, the medical procedure is a breast biopsy. In certain embodiments, the one or more possible patient positions include at least one of sitting and recumbent. In certain embodiments, the possible equipment configurations include an approach angle for a biopsy probe and/or a needle length of the biopsy probe. In certain embodiments, the method further includes receiving, via a user input device in electronic communication with the controller, medical device data as one of the one or more parameters of the medical procedure. In certain embodiments, the medical device data conveys whether the procedure utilizes a hook or a needle.

Also described is a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions. The stored instructions adopt a controller to retrieve, from a memory device, one or more possible patient positions for a medical procedure and one or more possible equipment configurations for the medical procedure. The stored instructions further adapt the controller to select, based at least in part on one or more parameters of the medical procedure, a patient configuration from the possible patient positions and an equipment configuration from the possible equipment configurations, and to generate an indicator that conveys the selected patient position and equipment configuration. In certain examples, one or more parameters of the medical procedure include at least one of room configuration data; patient physiology data; and medical device data. In certain examples, the medical procedure is a breast biopsy.

Accordingly, by selecting a patient position and/or an equipment configuration based on one or more parameters of a medical procedure, some embodiments of the present invention improve the efficacy and/or patient throughput of a medical facility by enabling a technologist/operator/assistant to quickly enter and/or retrieve data concerning the type of equipment/possible patient positions available in a particular room, the preferences of the patient, and/or the preferences of the radiologist/medical professional performing the medical procedure on the patient. In other words, some embodiments of the present invention facilitate improved coordination of the various setup/configuration factors that effect a medical procedure, as compared to traditional approaches/methods which often involve verbal communications between the involved parties, e.g., the patient, medical assistant, and physician performing the medical procedure.

Additionally, while the dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of the invention, they are by no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims. In the appended claims, the terms "including" and "in which" are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms "comprising" and "wherein. " Moreover, in the following claims, terms such as "first," "second," "third," "upper," "lower," "bottom," "top," etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical or positional requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format are not intended to be interpreted as such, unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase "means for" followed by a statement of function void of further structure.

This written description uses examples to disclose several embodiments of the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the embodiments of invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims.

Claim 1:
A system (<NUM>) for selecting a patient position (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) and an equipment configuration (<NUM>, <NUM>) for a medical procedure, the system (<NUM>) comprising:
a controller (<NUM>); and
a memory device (<NUM>) operative to store an application (<NUM>) that adapts the controller (<NUM>) to:
retrieve, from the memory device (<NUM>), one or more possible patient positions (<NUM>) for the medical procedure and one or more possible equipment configurations (<NUM>) for the medical procedure;
select, based at least in part on one or more parameters (<NUM>) of the medical procedure, a patient position (<NUM>) from the possible patient positions (<NUM>) and an equipment configuration (<NUM>) from the possible equipment configurations (<NUM>); and
generate an indicator (<NUM>, <NUM>) that conveys the selected patient position (<NUM>) and the equipment configuration (<NUM>);
wherein the medical procedure is a breast (<NUM>) biopsy.