Apparatus and method for positioning a patient to obtain images of the vasculature

• US 6,714,012 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2001
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bayer Healthcare LLC (Bayer AG)
• Original Assignee: Medrad Incorporated (Bayer AG)
• Inventors: Adams, Bradley J., Watral, J. Michael, Augustine, Lisa A., Reichel, Michael, Bell, Robert S. Jr., Belt, Kenneth W., Lewandowski, Stanley R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARANA, LOUIS M
• Application Number:
  US10/015,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20020153894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 324/318, 324/322, 324/300, 324/306, 324/307, 324/309, 324/314, 600/421, 600/422
• US Class Current: 324/318
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/3415 comprising arrays of sub-coils , i.e. phased-array coils with flexible receiver channels

Abstract

An apparatus enables a patient to be positioned optimally for a scanning procedure during which images are to be obtained of the vasculature of the patient. The apparatus includes a lumbar support, a tray, and a leg support. The lumbar support allows the renal portion of the vasculature to be positioned predominately in a single plane. The tray allows the pelvic and femoral portions of the vasculature to be positioned substantially coplanar with each other and with the renal portion of the vasculature. The leg support allows the lower leg and feet portions of the vasculature to be positioned substantially coplanar with each other and with the pelvic and femoral portions of the vasculature. The substantial coplanar alignment of the portions of the vasculature enables the images thereof to be obtained with a smaller field of view and thus at least one of greater resolution and reduced scanning time.

Claims

1. An apparatus for positioning a patient to obtain images of a vasculature of the patient, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing having a lumbar support for supporting a renal region of the patient; and

(b) a plurality of imaging coils contained within said housing and adjacent to the patient from approximately a renal region thereof to a feet region thereof, said housing placing said imaging coils in proximity to the vasculature, said imaging coils for receiving image signals from within the patient and conveying said image signals to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system;

wherein said lumbar support enables a renal portion of the vasculature to be aligned in a substantially coplanar manner with a pelvic portion of the vasculature.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said housing further includes a tray for supporting a femoral region of the patient, said tray having a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end of said tray operatively associated with said lumbar support and formed at an incline to align in a substantially coplanar manner a femoral portion of the vasculature with the pelvic portion of the vasculature.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

(a) said lumbar support further includes a support surface and a positioning member extending therefrom; and

(b) said tray includes at said proximal end thereof an edge for receiving said positioning member of said lumbar support.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said positioning member slidably inserts into said edge of said tray to enable said lumbar support to accommodate variations in size of the patient(s).

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said housing further includes a leg support operatively associated with said distal end of said tray for supporting a lower leg region of the patient, said leg support extending at an angle relative to said tray to align a lower leg portion of the vasculature substantially coplanar with the femoral portion of the vasculature.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said tray defines a recess at said distal end, said leg support being coupled to said tray by slidably mounting said recess, said leg support being adjustable to accommodate variations in size of the patient(s).

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said leg support includes a bottom portion, a top portion, and a coupler attaching said top and said bottom portions to enable positioning of said top portion to vary with respect to said bottom portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said leg support includes a bottom portion having a foot pad on which the feet of the patient rest, said foot pad oriented to align a feet portion of the vasculature substantially coplanar with the lower leg of the vasculature.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said housing further includes a cover, said cover being supported at a distal end thereof by and atop a top portion of said leg support and at a proximal end thereof by an anterior surface of the patient over which said cover is slidably movable.

10. An apparatus for obtaining images of a vasculature of a patient, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing having a tray for supporting a femoral region of the patient, said tray having a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end of said tray formed at an incline to align in a substantially coplanar manner a femoral portion of the vasculature with a pelvic portion of the vasculature; and

(b) a plurality of imaging coils contained within said housing and adjacent to the patient from approximately a renal region thereof to a feet region thereof, said housing placing said imaging coils in proximity to the vasculature, said imaging coils for receiving image signals from within the patient and conveying said image signals to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said housing further includes a leg support operatively associated with said distal end of said tray for supporting a lower leg region of the patient, said leg support extending at an angle relative to said tray to align a lower leg portion of the vasculature substantially coplanar with the femoral portion of the vasculature.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said tray defines a recess at said distal end, said leg support being coupled to said tray by slidably mounting said leg support into to said recess, said leg support being adjustable to accommodate variations in size of the patient(s).

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said leg support includes a bottom portion, a top portion, and a coupler attaching said top and said bottom portions to enable positioning of said top portion to vary with respect to said bottom portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said leg support includes a bottom portion having a foot pad on which the feet of the patient rest, said foot pad oriented to align a feet portion of the vasculature substantially coplanar with the lower leg of the vasculature.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said housing further includes a cover, said cover being supported at a distal end thereof by and atop a top portion of said leg support and at a proximal end thereof by an anterior surface of the patient over which said cover is slidably movable.

16. An apparatus for use with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to obtain images of a vasculature of a patient, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing having (i) a lumbar support for supporting a renal region of the patient, (ii) a tray for supporting a femoral region of the patient, and (iii) a leg support for supporting a lower leg region of the patient; and

(b) a plurality of imaging coils contained within said housing and adjacent to the patient from approximately the renal region thereof to a feet region thereof, said housing placing said imaging coils in proximity to the vasculature, said imaging coils for receiving image signals from the patient and conveying said image signals to the MRI system;

wherein said lumbar support is adjustably connected to one end of said tray to enable a renal portion of the vasculature to be positioned substantially coplanar with a pelvic portion of the vasculature, with said one end of said tray being inclined to enable a femoral portion of the vasculature to be positioned substantially coplanar with the pelvic portion of the peripheral vasculature, and with said leg support being extendable from a distal end of said tray at an angle relative thereto to enable a lower leg portion of the vasculature to be positioned substantially coplanar with the femoral portion of the peripheral vasculature.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said tray defines a recess at said distal end, said leg support being coupled to said tray by slidably mounting to said recess, said leg support being adjustable to accommodate variations in size of the patient(s).

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said leg support includes a bottom portion, a top portion, and a coupler attaching said top and said bottom portions to enable positioning of said top portion to vary with respect to said bottom portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said leg support includes a bottom portion having a foot pad on which the feet of the patient rest, said foot pad oriented to align a feet portion of the vasculature substantially coplanar with the lower leg portion of the peripheral vasculature.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said housing further includes a cover, said cover being supported at a distal end thereof by and atop a top portion of said leg support and at a proximal end thereof by an anterior surface of the patient over which said cover is slidably movable.

17. The apparatus of claim wherein:

(a) said lumbar support further includes a support surface and a positioning member extending therefrom; and

(b) said tray includes at said one end thereof an edge for receiving said positioning member of said lumbar support, said positioning member of said lumbar support being slidably insertable into said edge of said tray to accommodate variations in size of the patient(s).

22. A method of acquiring images of a vasculature of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of imaging coils contained within a housing therefor disposed along the patient from approximately a renal region thereof to a feet region thereof, said housing placing said imaging coils in proximity to the vasculature;

(b) configuring said housing to align in a substantially coplanar manner a renal portion of the vasculature with a pelvic portion of the vasculature; and

(c) receiving image signals from the patient using said imaging coils and conveying said image signals to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of configuring said housing to align in a substantially coplanar manner a femoral portion of the vasculature with the pelvic portion of the peripheral vasculature.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the step of configuring said housing to align in a substantially coplanar manner a lower leg portion of the vasculature with the femoral portion of the vasculature.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of configuring said housing to align in a substantially coplanar manner a feet portion of the vasculature with the lower leg portion of the vasculature.

26. A method of acquiring images of a vasculature of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of imaging coils contained within a housing therefor disposed along the patient from approximately a renal region thereof to a feet region thereof, said housing placing said imaging coils in proximity to the vasculature;

(b) configuring said housing such that at least one of;

(i) a renal portion of the peripheral vasculature is aligned in a substantially coplanar manner with a pelvic portion of the vasculature;

(ii) a femoral portion of the vasculature is aligned in a substantially coplanar manner with the pelvic portion of the vasculature;

(iii) a lower leg portion of the vasculature is aligned in a substantially coplanar manner with the femoral portion of the peripheral vasculature; and

(iv) a feet portion of the vasculature is aligned in a substantially coplanar manner with the lower leg portion of the vasculature; and

(c) receiving image signals from the patient using said imaging coils and conveying said image signals to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system.

27. An apparatus for enabling a patient to be positioned optimally for a scanning procedure during which images are to be obtained of a vasculature of the patient, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a lumbar support for supporting a renal region of the patient so that a renal portion of the vasculature is positioned predominately in a single plane;

(b) a tray for supporting a pelvic region and a femoral region of the patient so that a pelvic portion and a femoral portion of the vasculature are positioned substantially coplanar with each other and with the renal portion of the vasculature; and

(c) a leg support for supporting a lower leg region and a feet region of the patient so that a lower leg portion and a feet portion of the vasculature are positioned substantially coplanar with each other and with the pelvic and femoral portions of the vasculature;

the substantial coplanar alignment of the portions of the vasculature thereby enabling the images thereof to be obtained with a smaller field of view and thus at least one of greater resolution and reduced scanning time.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said tray includes an inclined section at a proximal end of said tray by which the femoral portion of the vasculature is positioned to be substantially coplanar with the pelvic portion of the vasculature.

35. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein:

(a) said tray includes at a proximal end thereof an edge opening; and

(b) said lumbar support includes a support surface by which the renal region is supportable and a positioning member extending distally therefrom, said lumbar support being adjustable to accommodate variations in size of the patient(s) due to said positioning member thereof being slidably insertable into said edge opening of said tray.

36. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said tray defines near a distal end thereof a recess, said leg support linkable to said tray by slidably mounting a bottom portion of said leg support into said recess with said leg support being adjustable therein to accommodate variations in size of the patient(s).

37. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said leg support includes a bottom portion, a top portion, and a coupler attaching said top and said bottom portions to enable positioning of said top portion to vary with respect to said bottom portion.

39. The apparatus of claim 27 further including a cover, said cover being supported at a distal end thereof by and atop a top portion of said leg support and at a proximal end thereof by an anterior surface of the patient over which said cover is slidably movable.

40. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein:

(a) the renal portion of the vasculature includes renal arteries and veins;

(b) the pelvic portion of the vasculature includes iliac arteries and veins;

(c) the femoral portion of the vasculature includes femoral arteries and veins;

(d) the leg portion of the vasculature includes popliteal and tibial arteries and veins; and

(e) the feet portion of the vasculature includes at least one of dorsal pedis, posterior tibial, plantar, and tarsal arteries and veins.

41. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the scanning procedure is performed using a magnetic resonance (MR) system.

29. The apparatus of claim wherein:

(a) said tray includes at said proximal end thereof an edge opening; and

(b) said lumbar support includes a support surface by which the renal region is supportable and a positioning member extending distally therefrom, said lumbar support being adjustable to accommodate variations in size of the patient(s) due to said positioning member thereof being slidably insertable into said edge opening of said tray.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said tray defines near a distal end thereof a recess, said leg support linkable to said tray by slidably mounting a bottom portion of said leg support into said recess with said leg support being adjustable therein to accommodate variations in size of the patient(s).

31. The apparatus of claim wherein said leg support further includes a top portion and a coupler attaching said top and said bottom portions to enable positioning of said top portion to vary with respect to said bottom portion.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said bottom portion of said leg support has a foot pad on which the feet of the patient rest, said foot pad oriented to align the feet portion of the vasculature substantially coplanar with the lower leg portion of the vasculature.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 further including a cover, said cover being supported at a distal end thereof by and atop said top portion of said leg support and at a proximal end thereof by an anterior surface of the patient over which said cover is slidably movable.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 further including a plurality of coils housed within said lumbar support, said tray, said leg support and said cover, thereby enabling the images of the vasculature to be obtained from approximately the renal region of the patient to the feet region of the patient during the scanning procedure, the scanning procedure being a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedure for which said coils are used to obtain the images of the vasculature.

38. The apparatus of claim wherein said leg support includes a bottom portion having a foot pad on which the feet of the patient rest, said foot pad oriented to align the feet portion of the vasculature substantially coplanar with the lower leg portion of the vasculature.