Specimen alignment and head holding system for imaging machines

• US 8,322,310 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASI Instruments, Inc
• Original Assignee: Chris D. Chiodo
• Inventors: Chiodo, Chris D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swiatek, Rob
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUSON, JOSHUA DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US12/079,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20090245474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 119/416, 119/417, 119/712, 119/751, 119/752, 119/753, 119/755, 119/756, 607/6
• US Class Current: 119/755
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/40 Animals
• 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 6/0421 with immobilising means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/307 specially adapted for moving the sample relative to the MR system, e.g. spinning mechanisms, flow cells or means for positioning the sample inside a spectrometer

Abstract

A laboratory specimen, such as a mouse or rat, can be accurately and repeatedly imaged in an imaging machine, such as an MRI machine, when securely positioned on a specimen support bed. The support bed includes contours and accessories for centering a specimen on the support bed. One or more bite bars coact with a head clamp to accurately fix a specimen'"'"'s head in the same position time after time.

Claims

1. An apparatus configured to support, hold and restrain an animal specimen in a fixed prone position within a bore of an imaging machine, comprising:

an elongated bed insertable within a bore of an imaging machine, said bed being contoured to tightly and repeatable hold a specimen in a predetermined fixed prone position on said bed, said bed having a front portion and a rear portion, a top portion and an underside portion and having a centrally located longitudinally-extending contoured body groove formed within said top portion for receiving and aligning a specimen along said bed in the same position each time the specimen is placed on the bed; and

first and second outer side walls on opposite sides of said centrally located longitudinally extending body groove of said bed, said outer side walls having first and second downwardly-extending leg channels recessed within said top portion and said outer side walls angularly disposed to said centrally located longitudinally extending body groove, said leg channels repeatably positioning, restraining and fixing in a predetermined place on said bed first and second legs of a specimen during handling, mounting and imaging of a specimen within the bore of an imaging machine.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second leg channels extend forwardly along said outer side walls.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first and second leg channels extend rearwardly along said outer side walls.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an aperture formed in said bed adjacent said body groove for passage of a monitor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a recessed pocket formed in said bed and dimensioned to receive a monitor.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said pocket is formed in a lower portion of at least one of said leg channels for receiving a foot of a specimen.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising two channels extending along said bed for the passage of fluids along said bed, said channels each having an intake port and an exhaust port.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said bed comprises a rear wall and wherein said two channels extend along said rear portion of said bed each of said two channels has said intake port adjacent to said rear wall.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a hose having a gas port provided on said bed for delivering gas to a specimen.

10. An apparatus supporting, holding and restraining an animal specimen in a fixed prone position within a bore of an imaging machine during an imaging procedure, comprising:

an elongated bed insertable within a bore of an imaging machine, said bed being contoured to tightly and repeatably hold a specimen in a predetermined fixed prone position on said bed, said bed having a front portion and a rear portion, a top portion and an underside portion and having a centrally located longitudinally-extending contoured body groove formed within said top portion for receiving and aligning a specimen along said bed in the same position each time the specimen is placed on said bed, said body groove defined by first and second longitudinally-extending opposed inner walls formed along a central portion of said bed, said first and second inner walls extending upwardly on opposite sides of said body groove to define first and second longitudinally extending specimen support ridges extending beneath and supporting the body of a specimen;

first and second outer side walls respectively extending downwardly from said first and second longitudinally-extending specimen support ridges and transversely spaced outwardly from said inner walls, said first and second longitudinally-extending specimen support ridges extending transversely between said inner and outer side walls;

first and second front leg supports comprising first and second downwardly extending leg grooves respectively located on said first and second outer side walls for receiving first and second legs of said specimen; and

said first and second downwardly-extending leg grooves respectively recessed within said top portion, inner walls, support ridges and said first and second outer side walls and angularly disposed to said centrally located longitudinally extending body groove and contoured for receiving, protecting and constraining front, rear and inner surfaces of the first and second legs of said specimen during handling, mounting, and imaging of a specimen within the bore of an imaging machine.

11. An apparatus for supporting an animal specimen in a fixed prone position within a bore of an imaging machine, comprising:

an elongated bed insertable within a bore of an imaging machine, said bed being contoured to tightly and repeatably hold a specimen in a predetermined fixed prone position on said bed, said bed having a front portion and a rear portion, a top portion and an underside portion and having a centrally located longitudinally-extending contoured body groove formed within said top portion for receiving and aligning a specimen along said bed in the same position each time the specimen is placed on said bed;

first and second outer side walls respectively extending downwardly on opposite sides of said centrally located longitudinally-extending body groove of said bed; and

first and second downwardly extending front leg channels respectively recessed within said top portion and said first and second outer side walls and angularly disposed to said centrally located longitudinally extending body groove and contoured to support the front legs of said specimen and to constrain, protect and position the front legs of said specimen in a fixed predetermined position on said bed during handling, mounting and imaging of a specimen within the bore of an imaging machine.

12. An apparatus for supporting an animal specimen in the bore of an imaging machine, comprising:

an elongated bed insertable within a bore of an imaging machine, said bed being contoured to tightly and repeatably hold a specimen in a predetermined fixed prone position on said bed, said bed having a front portion and a rear portion, a top portion and an underside portion and having a centrally located longitudinally extending body groove formed within said top portion for receiving and aligning a specimen along said bed in the same position each time the specimen is placed on said bed;

first and second outer side walls on opposite sides of said centrally located longitudinally extending body groove;

first and second downwardly extending front leg supports respectively recessed within said top portion and said first and second outer side walls and angularly disposed to said longitudinally extending body groove for receiving front, rear and inner surfaces of the front legs of said specimen; and

first and second downwardly extending rear leg supports respectively recessed within said top portion and said first and second outer side walls and angularly disposed to said centrally located longitudinally extending body groove for receiving front, rear and inner surfaces of the rear legs of said specimen, wherein said first and second front leg supports and said first and second rear leg supports are respectively formed so as to repeatably position and fix in a predetermined place on said bed the front and rear legs of said specimen during handling, mounting and imaging of a specimen within the bore of an imaging machine, said front and rear portions of said bed and said first and second front and rear leg supports defining said predetermined place on said bed.

13. An apparatus for supporting an animal specimen in a fixed prone position within a bore of an imaging machine, comprising:

an elongated bed having a front portion and a rear portion, a top portion and an underside portion and having a centrally located longitudinally extending body groove formed within said top portion for receiving and aligning a specimen along said bed;

first and second outer side walls on opposite sides of said centrally located longitudinally extending body groove of said bed;

first and second downwardly extending front leg supports respectively located on said first and second outer side walls for receiving front legs of said specimen;

first and second downwardly extending rear leg supports respectively located on said first and second outer side walls for receiving rear legs of said specimen; and

at least one of said leg supports comprising a channel recessed within said top portion and one of said first and second outer side walls and angularly disposed to said centrally located longitudinally extending body groove and extending downwardly into a pocket dimensioned to receive a monitor, said pocket located beneath at least one of said first and second outer sidewalls and positioned below a foot of a specimen and wherein said bed and said first and second front and rear leg supports position a specimen in the same prone position each time a specimen is placed on said bed.