Shielding devices used in medical imaging

Abstract

An X-ray system is described as having a scattered radiation shielding device mounted under an operating table. The shielding device (10) comprises one or more layers of radiation-blocking material (6) and cutouts (8) in the one or more layers. The cutouts extend from a point at the center of the one or more layers or a point near the center of the one or more layers toward an edge to allow radiation to pass through. The shielding device is rotatable about a rotation axis. The shielding device substantially reduces scattered radiation originating from the patient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention generally relates to the field of medical imaging. More specifically, it relates to devices for reducing direct scattered radiation originating from patients. Background Technology

[0002] During the interventional procedure, the physician is guided by imaging techniques such as X-ray imaging. The X-ray source is placed below the patient to limit the scattered radiation in the physician's direction. However, due to the need for live imaging, the procedure exposes all medical personnel in the mixed operating room environment to a relatively large dose of radiation, resulting in constant X-ray exposure during the procedure.

[0003] Most radiation (e.g., over 75%) attenuates within the patient's body. One of the largest contributors to this attenuation is Compton scattering, a process involving photon energy levels (>100 keV or 35 to 60 keV) used in X-ray imaging. In this form of scattering, incident X-ray radiation (in the form of high-energy photons) collides with electrons and transfers a portion of its energy. This excites electrons that can transition to another electronic state, while the photons (now with slightly lower energy) deflect in random directions, resulting in unpredictable scattered radiation.

[0004] Compared to radiation that penetrates the patient's body, most of this radiation is attenuated, and the scattering from the patient and below the table includes photons of much higher energy levels that have already been deflected directly from the patient's body. Therefore, there is a greater risk to the physician's health.

[0005] Lead-based shielding is often used to prevent unwanted health hazards. However, movable ceiling-mounted shielding is frequently misplaced or misused. These shielding solutions require repositioning for each change in the orientation / position of, for example, the C-arm carrying radiation sources and detectors, to properly protect physicians. In some instances, the shielding also hinders physician movement in crowded, mixed-use operating room environments.

[0006] Wearable shielding devices, such as aprons, can cause ergonomic discomfort because they need to be made of heavy elements (such as lead) with a certain thickness (and therefore, thick and rigid) and without any pores or gaps (and therefore, neither breathable nor flexible).

[0007] Therefore, improved solutions are needed to reduce or even completely block scattered radiation from patients. Summary of the Invention

[0008] One object of embodiments of the present invention is to provide a user-friendly shielding device to reduce scattered radiation from patients, thereby reducing health hazards to physicians.

[0009] The above objective is achieved through the solution according to the present invention.

[0010] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to an X-ray system having a shielding device comprising one or more layers of radiation-blocking material and cutouts in said one or more layers. The cutouts extend from a point at or near the center of said one or more layers toward the edges of said one or more layers to allow radiation to pass through. The shielding device is rotatable about a rotation axis.

[0011] The proposed solution does indeed allow for a significant reduction in scattered radiation. The shielding device allows radiation to pass through narrow cuts in the blocking material. Because the device can rotate about its axis of rotation, the cuts also rotate, allowing any area between the center and edges of the shielding device to be exposed as needed.

[0012] In some embodiments, the primary X-ray beam can pass through a shielding device to pass through the patient and strike the X-ray detector, regardless of the positioning or rotation of the X-ray source. However, due to the radiation-blocking material, scattered radiation originating from the patient is substantially reduced. Advantageously, positioning the shielding device below the patient table results in a significant reduction in the amount of scattered radiation received by the physician or operator in the operating room.

[0013] Therefore, in some embodiments, it is recommended to install the shielding solution under the operating table to block direct scattered radiation from patients treated with radiation sources placed under the operating table. Compared to ceiling-mounted shielding solutions, positioning the shielding device under the operating table has the advantage of not intruding on the work area.

[0014] The rotating shaft is preferably the central shaft of the shielding device.

[0015] In an advantageous embodiment, the shielding device includes at least one aperture slider to adjust the size of the cut. Preferably, there are two aperture sliders formed by two sliding plates, each made of the radiation-blocking material and arranged to slide at least partially over each other.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the shielding device is dome-shaped.

[0017] In embodiments of the invention, an actuation module is provided to allow the shielding device to rotate along its axis of rotation.

[0018] In some examples, a frame is provided to mount the shielding device to the underside of the patient table. Preferably, the shielding device is mounted in a movable or sliding manner.

[0019] Therefore, in this example, the shielding device is movably arranged on the ground-facing side of the patient table and opposite the X-ray source. In this example, the X-ray system is a C-arm X-ray system, wherein the X-ray source and detector can rotate around the patient, for example, having two rotational degrees of freedom.

[0020] Advantageously, the shielding device includes a processor adapted to calculate the intersection point of the X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray source and the patient table based on information about the orientation and location of the X-ray source. The processor is also adapted to manipulate actuators to position the shielding device according to the calculated intersection point.

[0021] In some examples, the shielding device described above is movably arranged on the ground-facing side of the patient table. That is, the shielding device is arranged on the side of the patient table facing the X-ray source with the normal orientation of the C-arm system. In this arrangement, X-ray radiation emitted from the X-ray source passes through the shielding device before penetrating through the patient on the table and finally striking the X-ray detector.

[0022] In this example, the shielding device is mounted on a frame fixed beneath the operating table, on which the patient is placed. The shielding device is then positioned by sliding it across the frame and / or by rotating it along a rotation axis. The X-ray source is positioned to allow the X-ray beam to pass through an incision in the shielding device and reach the patient at the region of interest. Medical imaging of the patient can then be performed with the shielding device and X-ray source in place.

[0023] For the purpose of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved relative to the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described above. It should be understood, of course, that not all of these objects or advantages may necessarily be achieved according to any particular embodiment of the invention. Therefore, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or practiced in a manner that achieves or optimizes one or more advantages as taught herein, without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

[0024] The above and other aspects of the invention will become apparent and will be set forth with reference to one or more embodiments described below. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference numerals in the drawings refer to similar elements.

[0026] Figure 1 An embodiment of the shielding device according to the invention is illustrated, mounted on a frame below the operating table.

[0027] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates two possible locations for the shielding device.

[0028] Figure 3 The diagram shows two sliding plates on the shielding device, which allow for adjustment of the slit size.

[0029] Figure 4 The diagram shows a mounting ring with gear teeth and an actuator.

[0030] Figure 5 The illustration shows a bottom view of an operating table with a frame and mounting rings.

[0031] Figure 6 The diagram illustrates the positional changes on the frame.

[0032] Figure 7 Various elements of an embodiment of the shielding device according to the present invention are illustrated. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Figure 1 The figure illustrates an embodiment of a shielding device used with the present invention. The shielding device (10) has a rotatable structure with one or more plates in a radiation-blocking material (6), wherein narrow cutouts (8) are provided to allow radiation transmission. The structure can rotate about a rotation axis, which in a preferred embodiment is the central axis of the shielding device.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the shielding device has a dome-shaped form, i.e., a dome on the ground, and includes one or more layers (plates) of radiation-blocking material, such as lead, tin, or aluminum.

[0035] A dome-shaped shielding device is characterized by cutouts in the coating (e.g., a lead coating) from a point in or near the center of the coating to the edge of the coating, to allow an X-ray beam to pass through without being blocked by the lead. In other words, the cutouts are wide enough to allow the X-ray beam to pass through, but narrow enough to cover as much surface as possible with radiation-blocking material to reduce scattered radiation. Due to its ability to rotate about its axis of rotation, such as its central axis, the dome-shaped structure allows the X-ray beam to reach any point on its surface. In one embodiment, the rotation is performed manually. In a preferred embodiment, an actuation module (4) is provided to control the rotation. Thus, the cutouts also rotate and expose an area from the center to the edge for a specific rotation. This allows the X-ray beam to pass through regardless of the position or rotation of the X-ray source itself.

[0036] Furthermore, in an X-ray system comprising an X-ray source, a patient table, and a shielding device as described herein, the shielding device is movably arranged on the ground-facing side of the patient table and opposite the X-ray source, as further detailed below.

[0037] Figure 2The diagram illustrates two scenarios of relative positioning of the X-ray source and the shielding device. The left-hand side of the diagram shows the case where the source is placed at the center corresponding to the stage. The emitted X-ray beam (RB) is oriented upwards in the vertical direction. In the right-hand example, the X-ray source is located away from the center of the stage. Now, the incident X-ray beam (RB) forms an angle other than 90° with respect to the stage. Therefore, by rotating the notch to the appropriate position, the dome-shaped shielding device can allow the X-ray beam (RB) to enter for each movement of the X-ray source in both position and orientation.

[0038] Scattered radiation originating from or reflected from the patient is then captured within the radiation-blocking elements of the shielding device.

[0039] In one embodiment, the shielding device includes a hole slider that allows the cut to be narrowed or widened relative to a fixed edge of the cut.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, two aperture sliders are present. The aperture sliders can be advantageously implemented by means of two sliding plates (5) made of a radiation-blocking material, which expand or contract to widen or narrow the cut, such as... Figure 3 As illustrated, the sliding plate, also known as the aperture slider, allows for adjustment of the aperture size. This feature allows for the creation of a larger shielding surface area by reducing the aperture size, and thus reduces unwanted radiation exposure caused by scattering, which would otherwise pass through the exposed area.

[0041] The actuation module (4) for rotating the shielding device can be fixed to the edge of the device. In a preferred embodiment, a single actuator is used. In a preferred embodiment, the shielding device is surrounded by a ring (2), which, in addition to serving as a fixing device for the shielding device, is characterized by a set of gear teeth on its edge. In some embodiments, the gear teeth are provided across the entire 360° of the ring. Figure 4 In other embodiments, there are one or more portions of a ring that carries the gear teeth (which together are less than 360°). A motor actuator (typically a stepper motor, but alternative embodiments may be considered) drives the gear teeth to rotate the shielding device and the position of the cut to accommodate changes in the position or orientation of the X-ray source.

[0042] The shielding device of the present invention can be used as an add-on to existing operating tables in hybrid operating rooms. In an advantageous embodiment, the shielding device is mounted to a frame (1) attached to the underside of the operating table. The invention also relates to a system comprising a shielding device and a frame. The frame is slidable on the operating table and can accommodate a mounting ring with gear teeth for the shielding device, such as... Figure 5 As depicted. The frame and mounting ring are made of a radiopaque material. The central frame can be manufactured in various widths and heights to allow for compatibility with a wide variety of different sizes of operating tables.

[0043] The location of the shielding device, and therefore the incision location, can be changed by sliding the device on the frame (bottom side) to allow operation in different parts of the body (i.e., in different regions of interest), such as transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) procedures. Figure 6 ).

[0044] The housing (3) of the shielding device is made of a lightweight, radiation-permeable composite material. The open shape allows for easy production using various manufacturing methods known to those skilled in the art, such as wet lamination or vacuum infusion.

[0045] In some embodiments, the composite housing (3) is equipped with several screw-hole attachments for the inner layer of the radiation-blocking coating. The plate is held downward by gravity, and the screws prevent further displacement during operation. This advantageously allows for quick disassembly and repair. The attachment for the motor (4) is located at the edge of the composite housing (3).

[0046] The plating in the radiation-blocking material (such as lead, for example) is manufactured in the shape of a shielding device, such as a dome shape, and is characterized by corresponding holes for the fixing device as described above. As already mentioned, in some embodiments, the plating may be a single layer, or in other embodiments, the plating may comprise two or more layers. In some embodiments, the plating may have an equivalent thickness of 0.6 mm. When lead is used as the radiation-blocking material, this thickness limits the radiation permeability to >95%.

[0047] To ensure the system meets the aseptic requirements for hybrid operating rooms, in a preferred embodiment the entire shielding device is encapsulated (see [link]). Figure 7 The radiation-permeable cover (7) is located inside the radiation-permeable cover. The cover may be draped according to regulations and / or hospital protocols. The radiation-permeable cover may be made of radiation-permeable plastic.

[0048] Figure 7 The embodiment shown illustrates a series of components moving inward from the outer cover (7): a hole slider (5) (e.g., made of lead composite material), a housing (3) (e.g., a composite housing, with a motor actuator (4) (e.g., a stepper motor connected to the housing)), a radiation-shielding lead plating (6) (e.g., also made of lead composite material), then a table mount (e.g., in a radiation-permeable plastic), and a frame (1) (e.g., made of radiation-permeable plastic) to provide a connection to the operating table.

[0049] When interventional procedures are required in a hybrid operating room, the system is slid into place by a technician. Due to the weight of the radiation-blocking material coating, a dedicated holding mechanism, such as a trolley, may be necessary during placement. The shielding device requires data from the X-ray source, such as orientation and positioning, and therefore a setup will be needed to link these components.

[0050] Therefore, in advantageous embodiments, the shielding device is arranged to exchange control data with other devices in the system, and the shielding device is part of the system. In some of these embodiments, the shielding device acts as a slave device, while the device controlling the X-ray source acts as a master device. The X-ray source control device transmits data, for example, required to perform rotation of the shielding device to the shielding device. The shielding device includes a processor, such as a microcontroller, which performs calculations based on this data and controls the movement of an actuator module (e.g., a stepper motor).

[0051] In one embodiment, the shielding device receives information about the orientation and location of the X-ray source from the X-ray source. Alternatively, a communication hub may be provided at or near the power connection of the shielding device. Communication with the shielding device can then be performed, for example, via wireless communication protocols such as WiFi or Bluetooth.

[0052] Based on the received data, the intersection point of the X-ray beam and the operating table can be calculated. This calculated intersection point is then used to determine the rotation the shielding device should undergo from its current position to allow the X-ray beam to penetrate the shielding device and reach the patient and image sensors. The processor then sends control commands to the actuation module to execute the desired rotation, i.e., a rotation with parameters included in the control commands.

[0053] Thanks to this invention, health hazards during cardiac interventions are reduced by decreasing “escape” scattered radiation at its source without interfering with the operator or the entire intervention.

[0054] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the accompanying drawings and the foregoing description, such illustrations and descriptions should be considered illustrative or exemplary rather than limiting. The foregoing description details certain embodiments of the invention. However, it will be appreciated that the invention can be practiced in many ways, however detailed it may be presented above. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.

[0055] By studying the accompanying drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, those skilled in the art can understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments in practicing the claimed invention. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the words "a" or "an" do not exclude multiple. A single processor or other unit can perform the functions of several items recited in the claims. Although specific measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims, this does not indicate that combinations of these measures cannot be advantageously used. Computer programs can be stored / distributed on suitable media, such as optical storage media or solid-state media provided with or as part of other hardware, but computer programs can also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunications systems. Any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. An X-ray system comprising an X-ray source, a patient table, and a shielding device (10), wherein, The shielding device (10) can be movably arranged on the ground-facing side of the patient table and opposite the X-ray source. The shielding device includes one or more layers of radiation blocking material (6) and cutouts (8) in the one or more layers, the cutouts extending from a point in the center of the one or more layers or a point near the center of the one or more layers toward an edge to allow radiation to pass through, and the shielding device is rotatable about a rotation axis.

2. The X-ray system according to claim 1, wherein, The rotation axis of the shielding device is the central axis of the shielding device.

3. The X-ray system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The shielding device includes at least one hole slider (5) for adjusting the size of the cut.

4. The X-ray system according to claim 3, wherein, The shielding device includes two perforated sliders formed by two sliding plates, each made of the radiation blocking material and arranged to slide at least partially over each other.

5. The X-ray system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The shielding device is dome-shaped.

6. The X-ray system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The shielding device includes an actuator (4) for providing rotation.

7. The X-ray system according to claim 6, wherein, The actuator is positioned on the edge of the shielding device.

8. The X-ray system of claim 6, further comprising a processor arranged to receive control data to manipulate the actuator.

9. The X-ray system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The shielding device is encapsulated within a radiation-permeable cover.

10. The X-ray system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The shielding device is installed on a frame (1) that is fixed below the patient table.

11. The X-ray system according to claim 10, wherein, The frame is made of a radiation-permeable material.

12. The X-ray system according to claim 10, wherein, The frame is configured to movably mount the shielding device, allowing the shielding device to move along the ground-facing side of the patient table in the longitudinal direction.

13. The X-ray system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The shielding device includes a processor adapted to calculate the intersection of the X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray source with the patient table based on information about the orientation and location of the X-ray source.

14. The X-ray system according to claim 13, wherein, The processor is adapted to manipulate an actuator that provides rotation to position the shielding device based on the calculated intersection point.

15. The X-ray system according to claim 1 or 2 further includes a C-arm, on which the X-ray source and X-ray detector are mounted.

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