Patent ID: 7711407

Claim:
An apparatus for performing a minimally invasive medical procedure with reference to a diagnostic image taken of a patient's breast, extending through an aperture in an elevated patient support surface of a breast coil, the apparatus comprising: a mounting fixture attachable to the breast coil below the aperture in the elevated patient support surface; a medial compression member and a lateral compression member supported by the mounting fixture relative to each other to compress and locate the patient's breast that is inserted through the aperture, wherein at least one of the medial compression member or the lateral compression member is movable along a first lateral dimension to compress the patient's breast that is inserted through the aperture; a selected one of the medial and lateral compression members further comprising a plurality of parallel vertical openings substantially perpendicular to the patient support surface about the aperture; a pedestal member positionably coupled to the lateral compression member for locating a lateral coordinate, wherein the pedestal member is movable along the lateral compression member along a second dimension, wherein the second lateral dimension is perpendicular to the first dimension; a first targeting rail positionably coupled to the pedestal, wherein the first targeting rail is movable along the pedestal member along a vertical dimension for locating a vertical coordinate, wherein the vertical dimension is perpendicular to the first and second lateral dimensions, wherein the first targeting rail extends along the first lateral dimension; a cradle slidingly received on the first targeting rail along the first lateral dimension, wherein the cradle presents a second targeting rail, wherein the second targeting rail is parallel to the first targeting rail such that the second targeting rail extends along the first lateral dimension, wherein the cradle is configured to removably receive and support a biopsy device; and a biopsy guide moveable along a length of the second targeting rail to locate a depth coordinate, wherein the biopsy guide is configured to restrict movement of a biopsy device received by the cradle along the first lateral dimension.