Off-Magnet Patient Scan Positioning

• US 20080194942A1
• Filed: 05/01/2006
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Cumpson, Patrick T., Petot, Bradford W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,078,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/415
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/704 Tables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/04 Positioning of patients; Tiltable beds or the like operating tables A61G13/00; operating chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0407 Supports, e.g. tables or beds, for the body or parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/469 for selecting a region of interest [ROI]

Abstract

To position an imaging subject (16) in an imaging or therapy system (10), the imaging subject (16) is arranged on a linearly translatable tabletop (26) disposed on a movable trolley (30). A position of a region of interest (24) of the imaging subject along the linearly translatable tabletop is selected using an elongated position selector (40, 40′, 40″) that is elongated in a translation direction (z) of the linearly translatable tabletop (26). After the selecting, the movable trolley is docked with the imaging or therapy system (10). After the docking, the tabletop is linearly translated to move the imaging subject to the imaging or therapy system, the amount of linear translating being based on the selected position of a region of interest along the linearly translatable tabletop.

Claims

1. A positioning system for an imaging or therapy system, the positioning system comprising:

a linearly translatable tabletop arrangeable to translate an imaging subject disposed on the tabletop to the imaging or therapy system; and

an elongated position selector that is elongated in a translation direction of the linearly translatable tabletop, the elongated position selector enabling selection of a position of a region of interest of the imaging subject along the linearly translatable tabletop.

2. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a stationary couch supporting the linearly translatable tabletop and the elongated position selector, the elongated position selector being stationary relative to the stationary couch and having a predetermined spatial relationship with the imaging or therapy system.

3. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a movable trolley supporting the linearly translatable tabletop and the elongated position selector, the movable trolley including a docking member adapted to detachably dock the movable trolley with the imaging or therapy system, the elongated position selector having a determined spatial relationship with the imaging or therapy system when the trolley is docked.

4. The positioning system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the movable trolley further comprises:

storage disposed on the movable trolley for storing the selection of the position of the region of interest; and

a selector that, when selected, causes the current selection of the position of the region of interest to be stored in the storage.

5. The positioning system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the elongated position selector comprises:

a linear array of discrete selectors arranged parallel with the tabletop.

6. The positioning system as set forth in claim 5, wherein each discrete selector is disposed at a corresponding position along the linearly translatable tabletop, selection of one of the discrete selectors effectuating selection of the corresponding position along the linearly translatable tabletop.

7. The positioning system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the elongated position selector further comprises:

a linear array of discrete indicator lamps, each indicator lamp corresponding to one of the discrete selectors of the linear array of discrete selectors and indicating selection or non-selection of the corresponding discrete selector.

8. The positioning system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the discrete selectors include sealed membrane push-buttons.

9. The positioning system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the discrete selectors are electrically interconnected such that selection of one of the discrete selectors deselects the other discrete selectors.

10. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elongated position selector comprises:

a slider movable along a track arranged parallel with the tabletop.

11. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1l wherein the elongated position selector comprises:

an elongated touch-sensitive screen arranged parallel with the tabletop.

12. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elongated position selector comprises:

a linear array of discrete selectors arranged parallel with the tabletop.

13. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elongated position selector has a length in the direction of elongation of at least 0.3 meter.

14. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elongated position selector has a length in the direction of elongation of at least 0.7 meter.

15. The positioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elongated position selector has a length in the direction of elongation of at least one meter.

16. A positioning method for positioning an imaging subject in an imaging or therapy system, the positioning method comprising:

arranging the imaging subject on a linearly translatable tabletop;

selecting a position of a region of interest of the imaging subject along the linearly translatable tabletop, the selecting not requiring moving the linearly translatable tabletop; and

linearly translating the tabletop to move the imaging subject to the imaging or therapy system, the amount of linear translating being based on the selected position of the region of interest along the linearly translatable tabletop.

17. The positioning method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the selecting of the position includes:

t designating the position on an elongated position selector extending parallel to a direction of translation.

18. The positioning method as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:

after the selecting of the position of a region of interest but before the linear translating, docking a trolley that supports the linearly translatable tabletop with the imaging or therapy system.

19. The positioning method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising:

storing the selected position of the region of interest along the linearly translatable tabletop, the linear translating being based on the stored selected position of the region of interest along the linearly translatable tabletop.

20. The positioning method as set forth in claim 18, further comprising:

operatively connecting a motor disposed in or on the imaging or therapy system with the tabletop during or after the docking;

during or after the docking, communicating the selected position of the region of interest along the linearly translatable tabletop to the imaging or therapy system;

performing the linear translation using the motor disposed in or on the imaging or therapy system.

21. The positioning method as set forth in claim 18, wherein the docking includes docking the trolley with one of:

a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner,

a magnetic resonance spectroscopy system,

a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging scanner,

a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging scanner,

a computed tomography (CT) imaging scanner, and

a radiation therapy system.

22. A positioning method for positioning an imaging subject an imaging or therapy system, the positioning method comprising:

arranging the imaging subject on a linearly translatable tabletop disposed on a movable trolley;

designating a position of a region of interest of the imaging subject on one of linearly translatable tabletop and the trolley;

after the selecting, docking the movable trolley with the imaging or therapy system; and

after the docking, linearly translating the tabletop to move the imaging subject to the imaging or therapy system, the amount of linear translating being based on the designated position of the region of interest.

23. The positioning method as set forth in claim 22, wherein the designating of the position of the region of interest along the linearly translatable tabletop comprises:

selecting the position using an elongated position selector that is elongated in a translation direction of the linearly translatable tabletop.

24. The positioning method as set forth in claim 23, wherein the elongated position selector comprises an array of discrete selectors arranged parallel with the tabletop, and the selecting of the position includes:

selecting one of the discrete selectors which is disposed at the position of the region of interest along the linearly translatable tabletop.