PATIENT POSITIONING SYSTEM

• US 20090308400A1
• Filed: 04/28/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MEDTEC Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CIVCO Medical Instruments Company Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: de Mooy, Leo G., Mlyn, Marc, Wilson, Roger F., Whitmore, Willet F. III, Ribble, Bruce, Dalbow, Geoffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,146,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/845
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/571 for clamping a support arm to a bed or other supports
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/14 Fixators for body parts, e.g. skull clamps; Constructional details of fixators, e.g. pins
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/57 Accessory clamps
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/3769 for attaching the body to beds, wheel-chairs or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/12 Rests specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of patient-supporting surfaces rests for the surgeon A61B90/60; restraining devices A61F5/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/121 Head or neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/122 Upper body, e.g. chest
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/123 Lower body, e.g. pelvis, hip, buttocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1245 Knees, upper or lower legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/125 Ankles or feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/1255 Shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/50 for radiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1097 Means for immobilizing the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1049 for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam

Abstract

A system for positioning a patient on a treatment couchtop for SBRT is provided. The system includes a patient support panel and at least one positioning/fixation component for releasable mounting on the patient support panel at a desired position to immobilize a portion of the patient'"'"'s body. The patient support panel includes a pair of longitudinally extending side rails having a series of longitudinally spaced indexing apertures for receipt of a locking bar for mounting a positioning/fixation component thereon at a discrete index position. The at least one positioning component includes a pair of clamping mechanisms for releasably securing that component to the side rails at any longitudinal position along the side rails.

Claims

1. A system for positioning a patient on a treatment table for some type of therapy that is to be repeated, wherein the position of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body to be treated is to be held in a predetermined fixed position, said system comprising a patient support panel and at least one positioning component arranged to be releasably mounted on the patient support panel at a desired position thereon to hold the at least one portion of the patient'"'"'s body at the desired position, said patient support panel comprising a generally planar member having a pair of longitudinally extending side rails, each of said side rails having a series of longitudinally spaced indexing apertures, said apertures being aligned in pairs for releasably mounting a first component between any of said pairs at a desired longitudinal position along said patient support panel via a component mounting bar having at least one pin projecting upward therefrom for receipt within the first component, said at least one positioning component including at least one clamp for releasable securement to respective one of said side rails at any longitudinal position along said side rail.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one positioning component comprises a bridge member having a pair of legs and a central section bridging said legs, at least one of said legs having said at least one clamp mounted thereon.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein each of said legs is adjustable in height.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said central section of said bridge member includes an adjustable member arranged to be brought into engagement with the at least one portion of the patient'"'"'s body.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said system comprises a pair of adjustable member, each said pair of members comprising a first member and a second member, said first and second member of each pair of members being arranged to adjustably engage a respect portion of the patient'"'"'s body.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the orientation between said first member and said second member of each pair of members can be adjusted.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the spacing between said pair of members is adjustable.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the spacing between said pair of members is adjustable.

9. The system of claim 2 additionally comprising a body conforming component disposed on said patient support panel under said adjustable member so that the at least one portion of the patient is held snuggly between said body conforming component and said adjustable member of said at least one positioning component.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said body conforming component comprises a flexible cushion filled with a multitude of beads to enable it to readily conform to the contour of the at least one portion of the patient'"'"'s body and thereafter be evacuated of air to fix the shape of that contour so long as the cushion remains evacuated of air.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said body conforming component extends only a portion of the length of said patient support panel.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said body conforming component extends approximately the entire length said patient support panel.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said body conforming component is said first component and comprises a preformed cushion.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the cushion is shaped to accommodate the underside of the patient'"'"'s knees.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said cushion is shaped to accommodate the feet of the patient.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said cushion includes two cavities, one for each of the patient'"'"'s feet.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein said cushion includes a pair of apertures therein and wherein said cushion is adapted to be mounted on said patient support table by the upward projecting pins of the component mounting bar.

18. The system of claim 9 wherein said adjustable member comprises a cushion.

19. The system of claim 9 wherein said adjustable member is inflatable.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said adjustable member comprises a flexible cushion filled with a multitude of beads to enable it to readily conform to the contour of the at least one portion of the patient'"'"'s body and thereafter be evacuated of air to fix the shape of that contour so long as the cushion remains evacuated of air.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one component comprises a stereotactic fiducial frame.

22. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising a pair of handles arranged to be releasably secured to said rails of said patient support panel.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein each of said pair of handles includes a clamp for releasably securing it to an associate rail at any longitudinal position therealong.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein said planar support panel include at least one permanent handle.

25. A system for positioning a patient on a table for an MRI imaging procedure, said system comprising a patient support panel, a positioning component, and a MRI coil device, said positioning component being arranged to be releasably mounted on said patient support panel at a desired position with respect to the patient'"'"'s body, said positioning component being in the form of a bridge member comprising a pair of upstanding legs and a central section bridging said legs, said MRI coil device being arranged to be releasably mounted on said bridge member, each of said legs including a lower end having a connector arranged for releasable securement to a portion of said patient support panel at various longitudinal positions along said patient support panel, each of said legs being adjustable in height with respect to said central section, whereupon said MRI coil device can be positioned and held close to a desired portion of the body of the patient.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said MRI coil and said frame member is releasably secured to said central section of said positioning component by hook and loop fasteners.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein said patient support panel comprises a generally planar member having a pair of longitudinally extending side rails, and wherein each of said connectors comprises a clamp for releasably engaging a respective one of said longitudinally extending side rails at any longitudinal position along said side rail.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein said patient support panel comprises a generally planar member having plural apertures therein and wherein each of said connectors includes a projection arranged for disposition within any of said plural apertures to releasably mount said positioning component on said patient support panel at a desired position thereon.

29. A device for use on a patient treatment table to enable some type of therapy that is to be repeated to be provided to a patient, wherein the position of at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s body to be treated is to be held in a predetermined fixed position, said device comprising a frame arranged to be mounted on the treatment table, the frame comprising a pair of longitudinally extending side rails, each of said side rails having a series of longitudinally spaced indexing apertures, said apertures being aligned in pairs for releasably mounting a first component between any of said pairs at a desired longitudinal position along the device via a component mounting bar having at least one pin projecting upward therefrom for receipt within the first component, said side rails also being arranged to releasably mount at least one positioning component thereon at any longitudinal position along said side rails by means of at least one clamping member associated with said at least one positioning component.

30. The device of claim 29 wherein said frame comprises two sections which can be secured together.

31. The device of claim 30 additionally comprising at least one cross member interconnected between said rails, said cross member having apertures therein for receipt of a multi-pin registration system to mount said device on the treatment table.