Modular Patient Handling System for Medical Imaging Apparatus

• US 20130334439A1
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Etters, Bradley N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,375,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/453.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0407 Supports, e.g. tables or beds, for the body or parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1032 Endless belts

Abstract

A patient table mounts to a patient imaging apparatus support base. When attached to first and second support ends of an imaging apparatus, the patient table has a generally planar patient support adapted for spanning the imaging apparatus field of view (FOV), and is analogous to a beam spanning the FOV. The beam-like patient support has sufficient rigidity for supporting and imaging a patient placed thereupon without any additional external support columns affixed to the imaging room floor, as was utilized in previously existing imaging apparatus. Elimination of external patient table supports reduces imaging apparatus installation complexity and costs, frees up floor space, and facilitates easier patient transfer to the imaging apparatus.

Claims

1. A patient imaging apparatus, comprising:

a support base for affixation on a floor, having first and second support ends;

an imaging system coupled to the support base, defining a field of view (FOV);

a patient table supportively coupled to the support base first and second support ends, spanning the support ends and FOV, the table having sufficient rigidity for supporting and imaging a patient placed thereupon without additional support structure; and

a movable table conveyor on the table, for translating a patient placed thereupon within the FOV.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

first and second vertical supports projecting from the table; and

fasteners for coupling the respective first and second table vertical supports and the respective first and second support ends, so that the table is selectively removable from the imaging apparatus as a modular structure.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

slidable mating mounts for coupling the respective table vertical supports and support ends, so that the table is capable of vertical translation within the FOV; and

a powered vertical translation mechanism coupled to the table and the support base for translating the table vertically.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

slidable mating mounts for coupling the table to the respective first and second support ends, so that the table is capable of vertical translation within the FOV; and

a powered vertical translation mechanism coupled to the table and the support base for translating the table vertically.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the table further comprises at least one cantilevered end projecting away from the support base.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the table further comprises first and second cantilevered table ends projecting away from the support base on opposite ends of the field of view.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a conveyor motor coupled to the table, for translating the table conveyor; and

a patient translation controller, coupled to the motor, for causing the motor to translate the table conveyor to a selected position in the FOV.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a movable patient transport bed having;

a movable transport bed conveyor aligned with a long axis of the bed, for transferring a patient placed thereon off an end of the bed onto the table conveyor;

a bed conveyor motor coupled to the transport bed, for translating the bed conveyor; and

an interlock coupling the bed conveyor motor to the patient translation controller, for coordinating translation of the respective table and bed conveyors.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least two imaging modalities respectively having adjoining fields of view that are selectively accessible to patients by translation of the conveyor, the imaging modalities selected from the group consisting of X-ray radiography or fluoroscopy, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, single photon emission computed tomography, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging.

10. A patient imaging apparatus, comprising:

a support base for affixation on a floor, having first and second support ends;

an imaging system coupled to the support base, defining a field of view (FOV);

a patient table supportively coupled to the support base first and second support ends, spanning the support ends and FOV, the table having sufficient rigidity for supporting and imaging a patient placed thereupon without additional support structure;

a powered vertical translation mechanism coupled to the table and the support base for vertically translating the table and

a powered table conveyor on the table, for translating a patient placed thereupon within the FOV;

a conveyor motor coupled to the table and a vertical translation motor coupled to the vertical translation mechanism, respectively for translating the table conveyor and table within the FOV; and

a patient translation controller, coupled to the conveyor and vertical translation motors, for causing the motors to translate the table conveyor to a selected position in the FOV.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a movable patient transport bed having;

a movable transport bed conveyor aligned with a long axis of the bed, for transferring a patient placed thereon off an end of the bed onto the table conveyor;

a bed conveyor motor coupled to the transport bed, for translating the bed conveyor; and

an interlock coupling the bed conveyor motor to the patient translation controller, for coordinating translation of the respective table and bed conveyors.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising at least two imaging modalities respectively having adjoining fields of view that are selectively accessible to patients by translation of the conveyor, the imaging modalities selected from the group consisting of X-ray radiography or fluoroscopy, computed tomography, positron emission tomography, single photon emission computed tomography, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the table further comprises at least one cantilevered end projecting away from the support base.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the table further comprises first and second cantilevered table ends projecting away from the support base on opposite ends of the field of view.

15. A modular patient support apparatus adapted for selective attachment to and detachment from a patient imaging apparatus having a support base for affixation on a floor, the support base having first and second support ends and an imaging system coupled to the support base, defining a field of view (FOV), the patient support apparatus comprising:

a generally planar patient table adapted for spanning an imaging apparatus first and second support ends of a support base and FOV, the patient table having sufficient rigidity for supporting and imaging a patient placed thereupon without additional support structure;

first and second vertical supports projecting downwardly from the patient table, adapted for selective coupling to respective first and second support ends of an imaging apparatus support base with removable fasteners, so that the patient support is selectively removable from the imaging apparatus as a modular structure; and

a movable table conveyor on the patient table, adapted for translating a patient placed thereupon within an imaging apparatus FOV.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

slidable mating mounts adapted for coupling the respective first and second vertical supports and respective first and second support ends, so that the table is capable of vertical translation within the FOV; and

a powered vertical translation mechanism coupled to the table and the support base for vertically translating the table.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the table further comprises at least one cantilevered end adapted for projection away from the support base upon coupling the table to an imaging apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the table further comprises first and second cantilevered table ends that upon coupling the table to an imaging apparatus are adapted for projection away from the support base on opposite ends of the field of view.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a powered vertical translation mechanism coupled to the respective first and second vertical supports and adapted for coupling to first and second support ends of an imaging apparatus, for vertically translating the table when coupled to an imaging apparatus;

a powered table conveyor;

a conveyor motor coupled to the table and a vertical translation motor coupled to the vertical translation mechanism, respectively adapted, when the table is coupled to an imaging apparatus, for translating the table conveyor and table within the imaging apparatus FOV; and

a patient translation controller, coupled to the conveyor and vertical translation motors, for causing the motors to translate the table conveyor to a selected position in the FOV, when the table is coupled to an imaging apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising an interlock coupled to the patient translation controller, said interlock adapted for selective coupling to a bed conveyor motor that is coupled to a movable patient transport bed having a movable transport bed conveyor aligned with a long axis of the bed, for transferring a patient placed thereon off an end of the bed onto the table conveyor, so that the patient translation controller is capable of coordinating translation of the respective table and bed conveyors.