Patient transport apparatus with integrated subsystems for use in magnetic resonance imaging

• US 9,549,687 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Georgiev, Emil Markov, Polzin, Jason A., Rindy, Ryan W., Stefka, Mark J., Meurer, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Brutus, Joel F
• Application Number:
  US12/188,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20100031443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,091 Days
• Field of Search: 600/410, 600/409, 600/415
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/06 raising or lowering of the whole table surface A61G13/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 13/107 Supply appliances supply appliances for dental machines A61C1/0007
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/50 for radiography
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A patient transport apparatus having a table configured to support a patient, a base attached to the table, a docking system attached to the base, the docking system configured to couple to a mating docking system of an MR imaging system, and a plurality of bays formed in the base, with each bay configured to receive a patient care module therein. The patient transport apparatus further includes a control system configured to be electrically coupled to each patient care module received within the plurality of bays and configured to centrally control each patient care module.

Claims

1. A patient transport apparatus comprising:

a table configured to support a patient;

a base attached to the table;

a docking system attached to the base, the docking system configured to couple to a mating docking system of an MR imaging system;

a plurality of bays formed in the base, each bay configured to receive a patient care module therein and magnetically shield the patient care module from a magnetic field generated by the MR imaging system; and

a control system configured to be electrically coupled to each patient care module received within the plurality of bays and configured to centrally control each patient care module;

wherein the table is detachable from the base and configured to be transferred into a bore of an MRI system magnet to enable an acquisition of MR images of the patient, such that the patient care modules received in the plurality of bays in the base are kept outside of the bore of the MRI system during the acquisition of MR images.

2. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bays comprises:

a first bay configured to receive an anesthesia module, the anesthesia module configured to combine an anesthetic agent with a carrier gas;

a second bay configured to receive a ventilator module, the ventilator module configured to deliver gases to the patient via a breathing tube; and

a third bay configured to receive a patient monitoring module, the patient monitoring module configured to collect medical data from the patient and transmit the collected medical data to the control system.

3. The patient transport apparatus of claim 2 wherein the plurality of bays further comprises a fourth bay configured to receive one of an intravenous (IV) pump module configured to provide fluids intravenously to the patient and an injector module configured to provide an MRI contrast agent to the patient.

4. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a video display module configured to display patient data and patient care module systems data.

5. The patient transport apparatus of claim 4 wherein the control system comprises a user input device integrated with one of the video display module and the base.

6. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a compartment configured to store a container for life support gases.

7. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a compartment configured to house one of a battery and a fuel cell configured to provide power to a patient care module.

8. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a connection port configured to receive one of electrical power, patient gases, and electronic communications from a source external to the patient transport apparatus.

9. The patient transport apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base is configured to permit adjustment to a height of the table.

10. A patient imaging system comprising:

a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system having a plurality of gradient coils positioned about a bore of a magnet, and an RF transceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF signals to an RF coil assembly to acquire MR images;

an anesthesia system comprising a plurality of patient care modules configured to anesthetize and monitor a patient during an MR imaging session; and

a patient transport apparatus comprising;

a table configured to support a patient; and

a base attached to the table, the base comprising;

a plurality of compartments having the plurality of modules positioned therein;

a controller configured to control each of the plurality of modules; and

a docking system configured to removeably attach the patient transport apparatus to the MRI system;

wherein the table is detachable from the base and configured to be transferred into the bore to enable acquisition of MR images during the MR imaging session, such that the anesthesia system positioned in the plurality of bays of the base are kept outside of the bore during the MR imaging session.

11. The patient imaging system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of patient care modules comprises an anesthesia module, a ventilator module, and a patient monitoring module.

12. The patient imaging system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of patient care modules further comprises one of an intravenous (IV) pump module and a contrast agent injector module.

13. The patient imaging system of claim 10 further comprising a video display module configured to display real-time patient and systems data.

14. The patient imaging system of claim 10 wherein the patient transport apparatus further comprises an external connector port configured to receive electrical power, patient gases, and electronic communications from a source external to the patient transport apparatus.

15. The patient imaging system of claim 10 wherein each of the plurality of compartments is configured to magnetically shield the patient care module from a magnetic field generated by the MRI system.

16. A method of manufacturing a patient transport apparatus comprising:

coupling a table for supporting a patient to a base;

forming a plurality of compartments in the base capable of accepting a plurality of patient care modules therein, the plurality of compartments configured to magnetically shield the plurality of patient care modules to enable positioning of the plurality of patient care modules in proximity to an MRI system magnet;

attaching a docking mechanism to the base, wherein the docking mechanism is capable of coupling the patient transport apparatus to the MRI system magnet; and

providing a controller capable of controlling each of the plurality of patient care modules;

wherein coupling the table to the base comprises detachably coupling the table to the base, such that the table can be translated into a bore of the MRI system magnet to acquire MR images of the patient while the base, and the plurality of patient care modules positioned in the plurality of compartments in the base, are kept outside of the bore of the MRI system magnet during acquisition of the MR images.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising assembling one of an anesthesia module, a ventilator module, and an IV pump module into one of the plurality of compartments.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising assembling a connector port to the base, the connector port configured to receive, from a source external to the patient transport apparatus, one of electrical power, patient gases, and electronic communications.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising forming a compartment in the base capable of accepting a life support gas container therein.