Estimation of appropriate breast compression for robotized mammographic imaging

The paper discusses a doppler ultrasound system for breast stiffening estimation during breast compression in mammographic screening procedures developed using automatic (robotized) mammography units. These units can be considered robots as they are automated, instruct the patient and supervise that the procedure develops correctly. The paper addresses the problem, for the robotized mammographer, to determine automatically the amount of compression of the breast to ensure proper imaging while limiting the pain for the patient to the minimum inevitable. This is one of the key issues to solve to make robotic mammographers. The physical principle used is sonoelastography in a doppler arrangement. Two algorithms have been developed able to detect vibrational displacement of breast tissue by processing the echo signals. From the displacement and phase of the vibrating tissue, the value of the elastic modulus of the breast tissue can be derived and hence its strain value in the region of interest.