Medical imaging system and anti-collision method with a controllable arm

• US 8,767,920 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Spahn, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, HOON K
• Application Number:
  US11/580,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20070086570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,818 Days
• Field of Search: 378193-198, 378/117
• US Class Current: 378/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0064 Body surface scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/102 Protection against mechanical damage, e.g. anti-collision devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4441 the rigid structure being a C-arm or U-arm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4452 the source unit and the detector unit being able to move relative to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4458 the source unit or the detector unit being attached to robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4464 the source unit or the detector unit being mounted to ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/547 involving tracking of position of the device or parts of the device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/589 Setting distance between source unit and patient

Abstract

The invention relates to a medical imaging system as well as an anti-collision method for the like. With this, the movement of a moveable part, e.g. a C-arm is stopped or slowed down if the part approaches the patient, i.e. falls below a predeterminable minimal distance to specific surface areas of the patient or approaches these. These distances are detected by means of at least one sensor.

Claims

1. An anti-collision method for a medical imaging system comprising a moveable part moved about a patient, comprising:

detecting a surface of an external object by a sensor connected to the moveable part;

transmitting the detection to a control device;

calculating a distance between the moveable part and the surface of the external object according to the detection by the control device; and

controlling a movement of the moveable part based on the calculated distance by the control device to prevent a collision of the moveable part with the external object, wherein a coordinate system calibration between the imaging system and the sensor is performed prior to recording an image data of the patient.

2. The anti-collision method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the external object is the patient or an object of the medical image system.

3. The anti-collision method as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the sensor detects a position of an individual surface area of the external object and transmits the position to the control device, and

wherein the control device:

stores a position of the moveable part or receives the position of the moveable part detected by a second sensor,

calculates the distance between the moveable part and the individual surface area of the external object from the position of the individual surface area of the external object and the position of the moveable part, and

controls a speed or a movement direction of the moveable part based on the distance.

4. The anti-collision method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.