Patent ID: 8096949

Claim:
A system for acquiring and displaying ultrasound mammographic image information comprising: an ultrasound image acquisition device having at least one ultrasonic transducer positionable by a user on breast tissue of a patient so as to provide sonographic information of the breast tissue; a processing system for controlling the at least one ultrasonic transducer, receiving sonographic data from the transducer, and processing the data to generate sonographic image information for real time viewing by the user; and a graphical user interface including a touch-sensitive display programmed and configured to accept user adjustments with respect to the sonographic imaging process, and display the sonographic image information to the user responsive to the accepted adjustments in real time; wherein the ultrasound image acquisition device includes an automated breast compression and scanning assembly, and the graphical user interface is located on or close to the scanning assembly; and wherein the graphical user interface is mounted on the scanning assembly and is at least in part transparent so as to allow the user to view the underlying breast tissue during placement of the scanning assembly on the breast tissue.