Foot load CT system

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the technical field of CT (Computed Tomography), and particularly discloses a foot load-bearing CT system which comprises imaging equipment and load-bearing equipment, the imaging equipment is used for carrying out foot imaging on the patient on the load bearing equipment; the weight-bearing equipment comprises a rotating mechanism, and a sitting posture supporting mechanism, a foot inclined supporting mechanism and a weight-bearing mechanism which are positioned on the rotating mechanism; the rotating mechanism is used for driving a patient to rotate; the sitting posture supporting mechanism is used for supporting a patient; the foot inclined supporting mechanism is used for obliquely supporting the feet of the patient, and the tiptoe of the patient is located at a low position; the load-bearing mechanism comprises a load-bearing structure and a load-bearing display structure, the load-bearing structure is used for applying load to the feet of the patient, and the load-bearing display structure is used for displaying the load-bearing condition of the feet; a patient is weighed in advance. The feet of the patient are adjusted from a flat state of a standing posture state to an inclined state, so that imaging of the feet by the imaging equipment is facilitated.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of CT technology, and in particular relates to a foot weight-bearing CT system. Background Technology

[0002] CT scans are a common examination method in orthopedics, as bones and soft tissues show good contrast on CT images. Traditional CT scans are usually performed while the patient is lying down. However, in the foot and ankle area, doctors often want to understand the skeletal morphology under weight-bearing conditions. Many subtle changes in the foot and ankle, including lower limb alignment and damage to facet joint surfaces, are not easily observed under non-weight-bearing conditions. Only weight-bearing imaging can truly reflect the changes in biomechanics caused by gravity on the foot and ankle.

[0003] The emergence of vertical cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) has, to some extent, made up for the shortcomings of traditional CT. It is a device that integrates an X-ray tube that emits a cone beam and a digital flat panel detector. The patient stands on the examination table in front of the detector, and the patient's body is rotated once by a motor to generate a three-dimensional image.

[0004] However, after scanning multiple patients, the applicant found that this imaging method did not clearly display the metatarsal bones, mainly for two reasons: 1. The imaging principle of the device dictates that the closer to the center of the examination table, the clearer the image. The length of an adult's foot when standing normally is approximately 20-30cm; the toes, farther from the center, will be unclear. 2. The metatarsal bones are small and susceptible to artifacts from wire hardening, resulting in unclear visualization. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a foot weight-bearing CT system to solve the problem that current weight-bearing CT examinations are performed when the patient is standing naturally on both feet, resulting in unclear display of the toes (especially the toes).

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows: a foot weight-bearing CT system, comprising an imaging device and a weight-bearing device; the imaging device is used to image the foot of a patient on the weight-bearing device; the weight-bearing device includes a rotating mechanism and a sitting support mechanism, a foot tilt support mechanism, and a weight-bearing mechanism located on the rotating mechanism; the rotating mechanism is used to rotate the patient; the sitting support mechanism is used to support the patient; the foot tilt support mechanism is used to tilt and support the patient's foot, with the patient's toes in a low position, and the lowest tilt point of the foot tilt support mechanism is located at the rotation center of the rotating mechanism; the weight-bearing mechanism includes a weight-bearing structure and a weight-bearing display structure, the weight-bearing structure is used to apply weight to the patient's foot, and the weight-bearing display structure is used to display the weight-bearing status of the foot; the patient is weighed beforehand.

[0007] Furthermore, the seating support mechanism includes a chair, which is fixed to the rotating mechanism, and the chair is made of a non-metallic material.

[0008] Furthermore, the chair is equipped with safety straps.

[0009] Furthermore, the foot tilting support mechanism includes a support plate and an adjusting member. One side of the support plate is hinged to the rotation center of the rotating mechanism, and the adjusting member is used to drive the other side of the support plate to move vertically to adjust the tilt angle of the support plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the weight-bearing structure includes elastic bands for binding the patient's legs, and the weight-bearing capacity is adjusted by adjusting the tightness of the elastic bands and / or the number of elastic bands.

[0011] Furthermore, the load-bearing structure includes a load-bearing plate and a weight-applying component, the weight-applying component being used to apply weight to a pressing plate, the pressing plate being used to press the legs.

[0012] Furthermore, the pressing plate is configured to be arc-shaped.

[0013] Furthermore, the rotating unit includes a rotating platform and a rotating component, the rotating component being used to drive the rotating platform to rotate.

[0014] The working principle of this technical solution is as follows: The patient sits in a chair, and for safety reasons, a safety strap can be used to restrain the patient. The tilt angle of the support plate is adjusted according to the patient's tolerance, and the patient places the soles of their feet on the inclined surface of the support plate. Then, negative pressure is applied to the legs based on the pre-determined patient weight. This can be achieved by adjusting the tightness of the elastic bands, the number of elastic bands, or adjusting the applied weight of the weight-bearing components, so that the result displayed by the weight-bearing display structure is approximately the same as the patient's weight. Then, the rotating component is activated, which drives the rotating platform to rotate, and the rotating platform rotates the patient, allowing the imaging device to image the patient's feet.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this technical solution are as follows:

[0016] ①This technical solution adjusts the patient's foot from a flat standing position to an inclined position, which shortens the projected length of the foot on the ground and brings the entire foot closer to the center of rotation, making it easier for the imaging device to image the foot.

[0017] ② The tilted position can reduce the influence of the calcaneus on the phalangeal bones of the foot by the calcaneus.

[0018] ③ In order to simulate a real negative pressure state in the feet, a weight-bearing structure is set up, and a weight-bearing display structure is used to display the weight, so that the negative pressure can be adjusted intuitively based on the display results.

[0019] ④ The chair is made of non-metallic material, which can avoid affecting the image.

[0020] ⑤ The pressure plate is curved, matching the curve of the leg, which allows for better pressure application to the leg. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the foot weight-bearing CT system of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 2 This is another structural schematic diagram of the foot weight-bearing CT system of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 3 The images show soft tissue views of the feet in standing and sitting positions (left side is standing, right side is sitting).

[0024] Figure 4 These are bone window images of the foot in standing and sitting positions (left side is standing position, right side is sitting position). Detailed Implementation

[0025] The following detailed description illustrates the specific implementation method:

[0026] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings include: 1. Rotating platform; 2. Support plate; 3. Adjusting component; 4. Chair; 5. Elastic band; 6. Cylinder; 7. Pressing plate; 8. Frame.

[0027] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0028] The basic implementation examples are as follows: Figure 1 , 2 As shown: Foot weight-bearing CT system, including imaging equipment and weight-bearing equipment; the imaging equipment is used to image the foot of the patient on the weight-bearing equipment, and the imaging equipment adopts the existing vertical CBCT imaging instrument, and this technical solution does not improve this part.

[0029] The weight-bearing equipment includes a rotating mechanism and a sitting support mechanism, a foot tilting support mechanism, and a weight-bearing mechanism located on the rotating mechanism. The rotating mechanism is used to drive the patient to rotate. The rotating unit includes a rotating platform 1 and a rotating component. The rotating component is used to drive the rotating platform 1 to rotate. Specifically, a base is provided on the ground. The rotating platform 1 is rotatably connected to the base. The rotating component is located inside the base and its rotating shaft is connected to the rotating platform 1 to drive the rotating platform 1 to rotate. The rotating component can be a motor.

[0030] The sitting support mechanism is used to support the patient. The mechanism includes a chair 4, which is fixed to a rotating mechanism. The chair 4 is made of a non-metallic material (in this embodiment, it is a carbon fiber chair 4), and a safety strap is provided on the chair 4. Of course, other structures that can support the patient can also be used to ensure patient stability.

[0031] The foot tilt support mechanism provides tilt support for the patient's foot, with the toes positioned low. The mechanism includes a support plate 2 and an adjusting member 3. One side of the support plate 2 is hinged to the rotation center of the rotating platform 1. The adjusting member 3 drives the other side of the support plate 2 vertically to adjust its tilt angle. Imaging is optimal when the support plate 2 is in a vertical position. The adjusting member 3 can employ a linear drive structure, such as a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, linear motor, or linear push rod. The output end of the adjusting member 3 may not be connected to the support plate 2, but only supports the lower side of the support plate 2. Alternatively, the output end of the adjusting member 3 can be hinged to a slider. The bottom of the support plate 2 has a strip-shaped groove, within which the slider is slidably connected.

[0032] The weight-bearing mechanism includes a weight-bearing structure and a weight-bearing display structure. The weight-bearing structure is used to apply weight to the patient's foot. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the weight-bearing structure can use elastic bands 5, which are strapped to the patient's legs. The weight-bearing capacity is adjusted by changing the tightness of the elastic bands 5 and / or the number of elastic bands 5. Figure 1As shown, the weight-bearing structure can also employ a pressure plate and a weight-applying assembly. The pressure plate 7 is used to press the legs and is arc-shaped. The weight-applying assembly applies weight to the pressure plate 7. The weight-applying assembly can be hydraulically applied. A cylinder 6 is vertically slidably connected to the frame 8, and a connecting pipe is provided on the cylinder 6, which is connected to the pump body. The frame 8 is laterally rotatably connected to the chair 4. The cylinder 6 and the pressure plate 7 are connected by a connecting rod. The cylinder 6 exerts a downward pulling force on the pressure plate 7. By injecting liquid into the cylinder 6, the weight of the entire weight-applying assembly is increased, thereby adjusting the negative pressure on the legs. Laterally rotatably connecting the frame 8 to the chair 4 allows the patient to sit in the chair 4 and adjust their position, avoiding any impact on the patient's standing or sitting posture. The weight-bearing assembly can also use counterweights. The pressure plate 7 is slidably connected to the frame 8, and the frame 8 is laterally rotatably connected to the chair 4. By adding counterweights to the pressure plate 7, the weight of the entire weight-bearing assembly is increased, thereby adjusting the negative pressure on the legs. To prevent the counterweights from being thrown off during rotation, grooves for accommodating the counterweights can be provided on the pressure plate 7. The weight-bearing display structure is used to display the weight-bearing status of the feet. The weight-bearing display structure uses a gravity sensor and a display. The gravity sensor is mounted on the support plate 2, and the display is mounted on the rotating platform 1. The display is connected to the gravity sensor and displays the data. The patient is weighed beforehand.

[0033] The specific implementation process is as follows:

[0034] The patient sits in chair 4, and for safety, a safety harness can be used to restrain the patient. The tilt angle of support plate 2 is adjusted according to the patient's tolerance, and the patient places their feet on the inclined surface of support plate 2. Then, negative pressure is applied to the legs based on the pre-determined patient weight. This can be achieved by adjusting the tightness of elastic bands 5, the number of elastic bands 5, or adjusting the applied weight of the weight-bearing component, so that the result displayed by the weight-bearing display structure is approximately equal to the patient's weight (gravity and body weight are converted accordingly). If the weight-bearing component is used, the frame 8 needs to be rotated first, and the pressure plate 7 needs to be raised so that it is positioned above and on the legs. Only then can liquid be injected into the cylinder 6 or counterweights be added to the pressure plate 7. Then, the rotating component is activated, which drives the rotating platform 1 to rotate, causing the patient to rotate. The imaging device then images the patient's feet. The image is shown below. Figure 3 , 4 As shown, it is quite obvious that the image quality is better when the right foot is tilted (ideally the foot is vertical), and the toes are clearly visible.

[0035] After imaging is complete, simply release the elastic band 5; or the pump will draw the liquid out of the cylinder 6, and the operator will lift the pressure plate 7 upwards and rotate it to one side; or the counterweight on the pressure plate 7 will be removed, and the operator will lift the pressure plate 7 upwards and rotate it to one side. The patient can then get off the rotating platform 1.

[0036] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0037] The above descriptions are merely embodiments of this utility model. Commonly known structures and characteristics are not described in detail here. Those skilled in the art are aware of all common technical knowledge in the field prior to the application date or priority date, are knowledgeable of all existing technologies in that field, and possess the ability to apply conventional experimental methods prior to that date. Therefore, those skilled in the art can, based on the guidance provided in this application, improve and implement this solution in conjunction with their own capabilities. Typical known structures or methods should not be obstacles for those skilled in the art to implement this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several modifications and improvements without departing from the structure of this utility model. These modifications and improvements should also be considered within the scope of protection of this utility model, and will not affect the effectiveness of the implementation of this utility model or the practicality of the patent. The scope of protection claimed in this application should be determined by the content of its claims, and the specific embodiments described in the specification can be used to interpret the content of the claims.

Claims

1. A foot weight-bearing CT system, characterized in that: The device includes an imaging device and a weight-bearing device; the imaging device is used to image the foot of a patient on the weight-bearing device; the weight-bearing device includes a rotating mechanism and a seated support mechanism, a foot tilt support mechanism, and a weight-bearing mechanism located on the rotating mechanism; the rotating mechanism is used to rotate the patient; the seated support mechanism is used to support the patient; the foot tilt support mechanism is used to tilt and support the patient's foot, with the patient's toes in a low position, and the lowest tilt point of the foot tilt support mechanism is located at the rotation center of the rotating mechanism; the weight-bearing mechanism includes a weight-bearing structure and a weight-bearing display structure, the weight-bearing structure is used to apply weight to the patient's foot, and the weight-bearing display structure is used to display the weight-bearing status of the foot; the patient is weighed beforehand.

2. The foot weight-bearing CT system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The seating support mechanism includes a chair (4), which is fixed on a rotating mechanism. The chair (4) is made of a non-metallic material.

3. The foot weight-bearing CT system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The chair (4) is equipped with a safety strap.

4. The foot weight-bearing CT system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foot tilt support mechanism includes a support plate (2) and an adjusting member (3). One side of the support plate (2) is hinged to the rotation center of the rotating mechanism. The adjusting member (3) is used to drive the other side of the support plate (2) to move vertically to adjust the tilt angle of the support plate (2).

5. The foot weight-bearing CT system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The weight-bearing structure includes an elastic band (5) for binding the patient's legs. The weight-bearing capacity is adjusted by adjusting the tightness of the elastic band (5) and / or the number of elastic bands (5).

6. The foot weight-bearing CT system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The load-bearing structure includes a load-bearing plate and a weight-applying component, the weight-applying component being used to apply weight to a pressing plate (7), the pressing plate (7) being used to press the legs.

7. The foot weight-bearing CT system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The pressing plate (7) is set to be arc-shaped.

8. The foot weight-bearing CT system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotating mechanism includes a rotating platform (1) and a rotating component, the rotating component being used to drive the rotating platform (1) to rotate.

Images