Head image capture device and head image capture method

Abstract

A head image acquisition device is a device for capturing an image of a subject's head in a seated position and includes a chair for the subject to sit on, a base, an information detection unit containing a detection unit that detects radiation from the subject, and a headrest to which the subject's head is attached. The information detection unit is connected to the base so that it is movable relative to the base. The headrest is connected to both the information detection unit and the base so that it is movable relative to both.

Description

Technical area

[0001] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a head image capturing apparatus and a head image capturing method. Background technology

[0002] Patent Literature 1 describes a CT (computed tomography) apparatus including a support body and a bridge (information detection unit) provided vertically movable and rotatable relative to the support body. In this CT apparatus, a chair including a headrest is provided on the support body. When using this CT apparatus, a head of a subject sitting on the chair is fixed to the headrest. Then, by moving the chair relative to the support body, a position of the bridge relative to the head is adjusted. This alignment is performed using a floodlight installed on the bridge. Citation listPatent literature

[0003] Patent Literature 1: Examined Japanese Patent Publication No. H8-4586 Summary of the inventionTechnical problem

[0004] In the aforementioned CT scanner, there is a possibility that the chair containing the headrest may come into contact with the bridge when the subject's head is aligned. Furthermore, the aforementioned CT scanner must facilitate alignment between the subject's head (headrest) and the bridge.

[0005] An object of one aspect of the present disclosure provides a head image sensing apparatus and a head image sensing method that can suppress contact between a headrest and an information detection unit and facilitate alignment between the headrest and the information detection unit. Solution to problem

[0006] A head image capturing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is [1] "a head image capturing device for capturing an image of a head of a subject in a sitting state, the head image capturing device including a base, an information detection unit including a detection unit that detects radiation from the subject, and a headrest to which the head of the subject is attached, the information detection unit being connected to the base such that the information detection unit is movable relative to the base, and the headrest being connected to one of the information detection unit and the base such that the headrest is movable relative to the one of the information detection unit and the base."

[0007] In this head-mounted image sensing device, the headrest is connected to one of the information detection unit and the base such that the headrest is movable relative to one of the information detection unit and the base. When one is the base, alignment between the headrest and the information detection unit can be performed by moving the information detection unit relative to the base after attaching the subject's head to the headrest. Alternatively, when one is the information detection unit, alignment between the headrest and the information detection unit can be performed by moving the headrest relative to the information detection unit while moving the information detection unit relative to the base after attaching the subject's head to the headrest.In this head image sensing device, the headrest is connected to one of the information detection unit and the base. Therefore, compared to, for example, the case where the headrest is provided on the chair, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the headrest and the information detection unit are in contact with each other. In addition, since a relative position between the headrest and the information detection unit can be easily determined structurally, it is possible to facilitate alignment between the headrest (the subject's head) and the information detection unit. Therefore, according to this head image sensing device, it is possible to suppress contact between the headrest and the information detection unit and facilitate alignment between the headrest and the information detection unit.

[0008] A head image sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be [2] "the head image sensing device according to [1], wherein a direction in which the information detection unit moves relative to the base is parallel to a direction in which the headrest moves relative to one of the information detection unit and the base." In this case, contact between the headrest and the information detection unit can be further suppressed.

[0009] A head image sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be [3] "the head image sensing device according to [1] or [2], further including a first actuator for moving the information detection unit relative to the base and a second actuator for moving the headrest relative to one of the information detection unit and the base." In this case, the information detection unit and the headrest can be moved individually.

[0010] A head image sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be [4] "the head image sensing device according to [3], further including a control device that controls operations of the first actuator and the second actuator, wherein one of the information detecting unit and the base is the base, and the control device performs movement control to control the first actuator so that the information detecting unit approaches the base in a state where the second actuator is stopped, so that a distance between the information detecting unit and the headrest decreases while a position of the headrest relative to the base is maintained at the same position." In this case, the information detecting unit can be brought closer to the headrest while the headrest is maintained at the same position.

[0011] A head image sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be [5] "the head image sensing device according to [3], further including a control device that controls operations of the first actuator and the second actuator, wherein one of the information detection unit and the base is the information detection unit, and the control device performs movement control to control the second actuator so that the headrest approaches the information detection unit, while the control device controls the first actuator so that the information detection unit approaches the base such that a distance between the information detection unit and the headrest decreases while a position of the headrest relative to the base is maintained at the same position." In this case, the information detection unit can be brought closer to the headrest while the headrest is maintained at the same position.

[0012] A head image sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be [6] "the head image sensing device according to any one of [3] to [5], wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are arranged in the base." In this case, for example, compared with the case where the second actuator is arranged in the information detection unit, a device configuration can be facilitated.

[0013] A head image sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be [7] "the head image sensing device according to [3] or [5], wherein one of the information detection unit and the base is the information detection unit, and the first actuator is disposed in the base, and the second actuator is disposed in the information detection unit." In this case, for example, compared with the case where the second actuator is disposed in the base, it is possible to dispose the second actuator close to the headrest and simplify a structure for transmitting a driving force of the second actuator to the headrest.

[0014] A head image sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be [8] "the head image sensing device according to [1] or [2], further including an actuator for moving the information detection unit relative to the base and moving the headrest relative to one of the information detection unit and the base." In this case, the information detection unit and the headrest may be moved by a single actuator.

[0015] A head image sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be [9] "the head image sensing device according to [8], further including a first moving mechanism that moves the information detection unit relative to the base by a driving force of the actuator, a second moving mechanism that moves the headrest relative to one of the information detection unit and the base by a driving force of the actuator, and a switching unit that switches a connection state between the actuator and the second moving mechanism." In this case, by switching the connection state between the actuator and the second moving mechanism using the switching unit, the information detection unit and the headrest can be moved individually.

[0016] A head image sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be

[10] “the head image sensing device according to [9], wherein one of the information detecting unit and the base is the base, in a state where the actuator and the second moving mechanism are connected to each other, the information detecting unit is movable relative to the base by the first moving mechanism, and the headrest is movable relative to the base by the second moving mechanism, and in a state where the actuator and the second moving mechanism are separated from each other, the information detecting unit can approach the base by the first moving mechanism so that a distance between the information detecting unit and the headrest decreases while a position of the headrest relative to the base is maintained at the same position.”In this case, the information detection unit can be brought closer to the headrest while keeping the headrest in the same position.

[0017] A head image sensing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be

[11] "the head image sensing device according to [9], wherein one of the information detection unit and the base is the information detection unit, in a state where the actuator and the second moving mechanism are separated from each other, the information detection unit is movable relative to the base by the first moving mechanism, and in a state where the actuator and the second moving mechanism are connected to each other, the headrest can approach the information detection unit by the second moving mechanism while the information detection unit approaches the base by the first moving mechanism, so that a distance between the information detection unit and the headrest decreases while a position of the headrest relative to the base is maintained at the same position."In this case, the information detection unit can be brought closer to the headrest while keeping the headrest in the same position.

[0018] A head image capturing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure may be

[12] "the head image capturing device according to any one of [1] to

[11] , further including a chair connected to the base for the subject to sit thereon." In this case, it is possible to capture an image of the head of the subject sitting on the chair.

[0019] A head image sensing method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is

[13] "a head image sensing method using the head image sensing device according to any one of [1] to

[12] , wherein one of the information detecting unit and the base is the base, the head image sensing method including, in this order, the steps of adjusting a position of the headrest by moving the headrest relative to the base, fixing a head of the subject to the headrest, and positioning the information detecting unit and the headrest at positions where an image of the head can be captured by the information detecting unit by moving the information detecting unit relative to the base."According to this head image sensing method, for the reasons mentioned above, it is possible to suppress contact between the headrest and the information detection unit and to facilitate alignment between the headrest and the information detection unit.

[0020] A head image sensing method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is

[14] “a head image sensing method using the head image sensing device according to any one of [1] to

[12] , wherein one of the information detecting unit and the base is the information detecting unit, the head image sensing method including, in this order, the steps of adjusting a position of the headrest by moving the information detecting unit relative to the base, fixing a head of the subject to the headrest, and positioning the information detecting unit and the headrest at positions where an image of the head can be acquired by the information detecting unit by moving the headrest relative to the information detecting unit while moving the information detecting unit relative to the base.“ According to this head image sensing method, it is possible to suppress contact between the headrest and the information detection unit and facilitate alignment between the headrest and the information detection unit. Advantageous effects of the invention

[0021] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a head image sensing device and a head image sensing method that can suppress contact between a headrest and an information detection unit and facilitate alignment between the headrest and the information detection unit. Short description of the drawings [ Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a side view of a head image capture device according to an embodiment. [ Fig. 2] Fig. 2(a) and Fig. 2(b) are diagrams for describing a head image sensing method using the head image sensing apparatus. [ Fig. 3] Fig. 3(a) and Fig. 3(b) are diagrams for describing the head image sensing method using the head image sensing apparatus. [ Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a side view of a head image sensing device of a first modified example. [ Fig. 5] Fig. 5(a) and Fig. 5(b) are diagrams for describing a head image sensing method using the head image sensing apparatus of the first modified example. [ Fig. 6] Fig. 6(a) and Fig. 6(b) are diagrams for describing the head image sensing method using the head image sensing apparatus of the first modified example. [ Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a side view of a head image sensing device of a second modified example. [ Fig. 8] Fig. 8(a) and Fig. 8(b) are diagrams for describing a head image sensing method using the head image sensing apparatus of the second modified example. [ Fig. 9] Fig. 9(a) and Fig. 9(b) are diagrams for describing the head image sensing method using the head image sensing apparatus of the second modified example. [ Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is a side view of a head image sensing device of a third modified example. [ Fig. 11] Fig. 11(a) and Fig. 11(b) are diagrams for describing a head image sensing method using the head image sensing apparatus of the third modified example. [ Fig. 12] Fig. 12(a) and Fig. 12(b) are diagrams for describing the head image sensing method using the head image sensing apparatus of the third modified example. [ Fig. 13] Fig. 13 is a side view of a head image sensing device of a fourth modified example. [ Fig. 14] Fig. 14(a) and Fig. 14(b) are diagrams for describing a head image sensing method using the head image sensing apparatus of the fourth modified example. [ Fig. 15] Fig. 15(a) and Fig. 15(b) are diagrams for describing the head image sensing method using the head image sensing apparatus of the fourth modified example. Description of the embodiments

[0022] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted. [Head image capture device]

[0023] One in Fig. The head image capture device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a device for capturing an image of a head 21 of a subject 2 in a seated state. In this example, the head image capture device 1 is configured as a PET (positron emission tomography) device and captures an image by detecting radiation emitted from the head 21 by administering a radioactive drug. The captured image can be used, for example, for a predetermined diagnosis (examination). That is, the head image capture device 1 can also be considered a head image diagnostic device.

[0024] The head-mounted image capture device 1 includes a base 3, an information detection unit 4, a headrest 5, and a chair 6. The whole including the base 3, the information detection unit 4, the headrest 5, and the chair 6 can also be referred to as a bridge. The base 3 is a base member including a floor 31 and a wall 32. Both the floor 31 and the wall 32 are formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The floor 31 is arranged on a floor surface F, which is an installation surface of the head-mounted image capture device 1. The wall 32 extends vertically upward along a direction A from the floor 31. In this example, the direction A is inclined with respect to a vertical direction. An inclination angle of the direction A with respect to the vertical direction is, for example, about 10 degrees. An armrest 33 is attached to the floor 31.The armrest 33 can be used by the subject 2 sitting on the chair 6 to rest an elbow.

[0025] The information detection unit 4 includes a main body 41 and a leg 42. The main body 41 is formed into a cylindrical shape (ring shape) and defines a columnar space S by an inner peripheral surface. An extending direction of an axis X of the main body 41 (an axis of the space S) is parallel to the direction A. The head 21 of the subject 2 is arranged in the space S. A detection unit 43 is arranged inside the main body 41. The detection unit 43 includes, for example, a plurality of detectors 43a arranged at equal intervals along a circumferential direction to surround the space S. In this example, each detector 43a detects radiation emitted from the head 21 of the subject 2 (detects information for capturing an image of the head 21).Each detector 43a includes, for example, a scintillator that converts radiation into scintillation light, and a light-receiving element (e.g., a photomultiplier tube) that detects the scintillation light. Thus, the main body 41 is contained within a detector ring that detects radiation.

[0026] The leg 42 is formed, for example, in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and extends vertically downward from the main body 41 along the direction A. A vertically lower portion of the leg 42 is disposed within the wall 32 of the base 3. The leg 42 is connected to the wall 32 via a first moving mechanism 7, which will be described later, and is movable along the direction A relative to the wall 32.

[0027] The headrest 5 has a mounting portion 51 to which the head 21 of the subject 2 is mounted, and a support 52 that supports the mounting portion 51. The mounting portion 51 is formed in a substantially L-shape in a side view ( Fig. 1). Specifically, the fixing portion 51 includes a first plate 51a extending along the direction A and a second plate 51b extending perpendicular to the first plate 51a from a vertically lower edge of the first plate 51a. The head 21 of the subject 2 is fixed to the first plate 51a. This fixing method may be any method, but for example, the head 21 may be fixed to the first plate 51a using a fixing device such as a mesh bandage or a headgear. An acceptable examination area may be indicated on the first plate 51a to facilitate identification by the subject 2 or an examination worker (technician).In this case, for example, by fixing the head 21 to the first plate 51a so that the head 21 is located within the allowable examination range, an examination can be reliably performed and the alignment between the head 21 relative to the first plate 51a can be facilitated.

[0028] The support 52 is formed, for example, into a plate shape and extends vertically downward along the direction A from an edge of the second plate 51b on the opposite side to the first plate 51a. A vertically lower portion of the support 52 is disposed within the wall 32 of the base 3. The support 52 is connected to the wall 32 via a second moving mechanism 8, which will be described later, and is movable along the direction A relative to the wall 32.

[0029] The chair 6 is used for the subject 2 to sit on. The chair 6 has a seat portion 61 and a back portion 62. The back portion 62 extends vertically upward from the seat portion 61. As shown in Fig. 1, during information detection for image acquisition, the subject 2 sits on the seat portion 61 so that a back of the subject 2 touches the back portion 62. In this example, the chair 6 is connected to the floor 31 of the base 3, so that the chair 6 can move horizontally along a front-back direction (a direction intersecting the direction A). Note that when a side on which the chair 6 is positioned relative to the wall 32 of the base 3 is defined as a front side, the back portion 62 is arranged on a rear side relative to the seat portion 61.

[0030] The head image sensing device 1 further includes a first motor (first actuator) M1, the first moving mechanism 7, a second motor (second actuator) M2, the second moving mechanism 8, and a controller 10. The first motor M1 is used to move the information detection unit 4 relative to the base 3, and the second motor M2 is used to move the headrest 5 relative to the base 3. The first moving mechanism 7 is a mechanism for moving the information detection unit 4 relative to the base 3 by a driving force of the first motor M1, and the second moving mechanism 8 is a mechanism for moving the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 by a driving force of the second motor M2.Note that, although the first motor M1, the first moving mechanism 7, the second motor M2, and the second moving mechanism 8 are arranged within the base 3 or the information detecting unit 4 as described below, these elements are indicated by solid lines in each figure for convenience of description.

[0031] The first motor M1 is arranged within the bottom 31 of the base 3. The first movement mechanism 7 includes a first ball screw 71 and a first guide rail 72. The first ball screw 71 is arranged within the wall 32 of the base 3 and fixed to the wall 32. The first ball screw 71 includes a screw shaft 71a and a nut 71b. The screw shaft 71a extends along the direction A. The screw shaft 71a is connected to the first motor M1 and is rotated by a driving force of the first motor M1. The nut 71b is screwed onto the screw shaft 71a and moves along the screw shaft 71a (along the direction A) according to the rotation of the screw shaft 71a. The first guide rail 72 extends along the direction A. The first guide rail 72 is connected to the nut 71b and moves together with the nut 71b along the direction A.The first guide rail 72 is arranged inside the leg 42 of the information detection unit 4 and is fixed to the leg 42. Therefore, when the nut 72b moves along the direction A due to a driving force of the first motor M1, the information detection unit 4 moves along the direction A relative to the base 3. In this way, the information detection unit 4 is movable along the direction A relative to the base 3 by the driving force of the first motor M1. Note that a rotation direction of the first motor M1 is switchable, and the information detection unit 4 can move toward or away from the base 3 depending on the rotation direction of the first motor M1.

[0032] The second motor M2 is arranged inside the wall 32 of the base 3. The second movement mechanism 8 includes a second ball screw 81 and a second guide rail 82. The second ball screw 81 is arranged inside the wall 32 and fixed to the wall 32. The second ball screw 81 includes a screw shaft 81a and a nut 81b. The screw shaft 81a extends along the direction A. The screw shaft 81a is connected to the second motor M2 and is rotated by a driving force of the second motor M2. The nut 81b is screwed onto the screw shaft 81a and moves along the screw shaft 81a (along the direction A) according to the rotation of the screw shaft 81a. The second guide rail 82 extends along the direction A and guides a moving direction of the nut 81b. The support 52 of the headrest 5 is connected to the nut 81b.In this way, the headrest 5 is movable along the direction A together with the nut 81b, and the headrest 5 is movable relative to the base 3 along the direction A by a driving force of the second motor M2. Note that a rotation direction of the second motor M2 is switchable, and the headrest 5 can move toward or away from the base 3 depending on the rotation direction of the second motor M2.

[0033] In this way, in the head image sensing device 1, a direction in which the information detection unit 4 moves relative to the base 3 and a direction in which the headrest 5 moves relative to the base 3 are along the direction A (that is, parallel to the direction A) and are parallel to each other. Moreover, the information detection unit 4 can move relative to the base 3 only along the direction A and does not move so that an angle between the information detection unit 4 and the base 3 changes. Similarly, the headrest 5 can only move along the direction A relative to the base 3 and does not move so that an angle between the headrest 5 and the base 3 changes.

[0034] For example, the control device 10 includes a computer including a processor (CPU) and a RAM and a ROM (memory unit), which are recording media. The control device 10 controls an operation of each unit of the head image capture device 1. For example, the control device 10 controls operations of the first motor M1 and the second motor M2. For example, the head image capture device 1 includes a receiving unit for receiving a command (operation) from the examination worker, and the control device 10 controls operations of the first motor M1 and the second motor M2 based on a command received from the receiving unit. The receiving unit may include, for example, an operation knob, etc., provided on the base 3. [Head image capture method]

[0035] An example of a head image capturing method using the head image capturing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. An operation of the head image sensing device 1 in a description below is performed, for example, by the control device 10 controlling each unit based on a command from the examination worker.

[0036] Fig. Figure 2(a) shows the head image capturing device 1 in an initial state before the start of the examination. Starting from the initial state, the subject 2 is initially seated, as in Fig. 2(b), on the chair 6. Subsequently, a first adjustment step is performed to adjust a position of the headrest 5. In the first adjustment step, the position of the headrest 5 is adjusted by moving the headrest 5 along the direction A relative to the base 3 using a driving force of the second motor M2. For example, the headrest 5 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2(a) is moved vertically downward along the direction A and the headrest 5 is stopped at a position where a height of the first plate 51a of the headrest 5 coincides with the head 21 of the subject 2, as shown in Fig. 2(b). In this way, in the first adjustment step, the position of the headrest 5 is adjusted so that the position corresponds to a position of the head 21 of the subject 2 sitting on the chair 6. It should be noted that even if the information detection unit 4 is in a Fig. 2(b) in the first adjustment step relative to the base 3 (moves together with the headrest 5), the information detection unit 4 does not have to move relative to the base 3 in the first adjustment step.

[0037] Then, as in Fig. 3(a), the chair 6 is oriented toward the rear (toward the wall 32 side of the base 3). Subsequently, a fastening step is performed to fasten the head 21 of the subject 2 to the headrest 5. In the fastening step, as described above, for example, the head 21 is fastened to the first plate 51a using a fastening device such as a mesh bandage or a headgear.

[0038] Then, as in Fig. 3(b), a second adjustment step is performed to adjust the position of the information detection unit 4. In the second adjustment step, the information detection unit 4 is moved along the direction A relative to the base 3 by a driving force of the first motor M1, so that the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 are positioned at positions where an image of the head 21 can be acquired by the information detection unit 4. In this example, as the information detection unit 4 moves vertically downward along the direction A, the information detection unit 4 approaches the headrest 5 (a distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 decreases), and the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 are positioned at examination positions.The examination positions are positions at which the head 21 attached to the headrest 5 is arranged in a space S of the information detection unit 4.

[0039] In the second setting step, the second motor M2 is stopped and the position of the headrest 5 is fixed. That is, in the second setting step, the control device 10 performs movement control to control the first motor M1 so that the information detection unit 4 approaches the base 3 in a state where the second motor M2 is stopped, so that a distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 decreases while a position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 is maintained at the same position. In the second setting step, the control device 10 may stop the movement of the information detection unit 4 based on a command from the examination worker. However, when the head 21 is arranged in the space S, the control device 10 may automatically stop the movement of the information detection unit 4.In the latter case, for example, a sensor for detecting that the head 21 is located in the space S may be provided in the information detection unit 4, and the control device 10 may stop the movement of the information detection unit 4 based on a detection result of the sensor and position information of the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5.

[0040] After the second adjustment step, an image of the head 21 of the subject 2 is captured. After the image capture, the head image capture device 1 is returned to the initial state by a process reverse to the one described above. Specifically, first, the information detection unit 4 moves vertically upward along the direction A and returns to a position shown in Fig. 3(a). A fastening of the head 21 to the headrest 5 is then released. The chair 6 then moves forward and returns to the position shown in Fig. 2(a), and the headrest 5 moves vertically upward along the direction A and returns to the position shown in Fig. 2(a). Subject 2 then stands up from chair 6. Through the process described above, head image sensing device 1 returns to the initial state. [Function and effect]

[0041] In the head image sensing device 1, the headrest 5 is connected to the base 3, so that the headrest 5 is movable relative to the base 3. In this way, after the head 21 of the subject 2 is fixed to the headrest 5, the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 can be aligned by moving the information detection unit 4 relative to the base 3. In the head image sensing device 1, the headrest 5 is connected to the base 3. Therefore, compared to, for example, the case where the headrest 5 is provided on the chair 6, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation in which the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 are in contact with each other.Since a relative position between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 can be easily determined structurally, it is possible to facilitate the alignment between the headrest 5 (the head 21 of the subject 2) and the information detection unit 4. Therefore, according to the head image sensing device 1, it is possible to suppress contact between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 and facilitate the alignment between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4. Furthermore, by facilitating the alignment between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4, it is possible to omit a member for aligning the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 (for example, a floodlight, a camera, etc.).

[0042] The direction in which the information detection unit 4 moves relative to the base 3 is parallel to the direction in which the headrest 5 moves relative to the base 3. In this way, contact between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 can be further suppressed.

[0043] The head image sensing device 1 includes the first motor M1 for moving the information detection unit 4 relative to the base 3 and the second motor M2 for moving the headrest 5 relative to the base 3. In this way, the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 can be moved individually.

[0044] The control device 10 performs movement control to control the first motor M1 so that the information detection unit 4 approaches the base 3 in a state where the second motor M2 is stopped, so that a distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 decreases while maintaining a position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 at the same position. In this way, the information detection unit 4 can be brought closer to the headrest 5 while maintaining the headrest 5 at the same position.

[0045] The first motor M1 and the second motor M2 are arranged in the base 3. In this way, a device configuration can be simplified compared to, for example, the case where the second motor M2 is arranged in the information detection unit 4.

[0046] The head image capture device 1 is connected to the base 3 and includes the chair 6 on which the subject 2 sits. As a result, it is possible to capture an image of the head 21 of the subject 2 in a state where the subject 2 is sitting on the chair 6. Furthermore, when a chair is interposed between the headrest and the support body, as in the above-mentioned Patent Literature 1, contact with the bridge (the information detection unit 4) cannot be suppressed unless movement or position information of the chair is detected. On the other hand, in the head image capture device 1 according to the embodiment, the headrest 5 is connected to the base 3 and is independent of the chair 6, and thus it is possible to facilitate the contact suppression between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4.

[0047] The head image acquisition method of the embodiment includes a step of adjusting the position of the headrest 5 by moving the headrest 5 relative to the base 3, a step of fixing the head 21 of the subject 2 to the headrest 5, and a step of positioning the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 at positions where the information detection unit 4 can acquire an image of the head 21 by moving the information detection unit 4 relative to the base 3 in this order. According to this head image acquisition method, for the reasons mentioned above, it is possible to suppress contact between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 and facilitate alignment between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4. [Modified examples]

[0048] Fig. 4 is a side view of a head image sensing device 1A of a first modified example. The head image sensing device 1A has the same configuration as the head image sensing device 1 of the above embodiment except for the following points. In the head image sensing device 1A, the second motor M2 is arranged inside the main body 41 of the information detection unit 4. The second ball screw 81 is arranged inside the main body 41 and fixed to the main body 41. In the first modified example, the headrest 5 is fixed to the main body 41 via the second moving mechanism 8, and the headrest 5 can move along the direction A relative to the information detection unit 4 by a driving force of the second motor M2.

[0049] Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 are diagrams for describing an example of a head image sensing method using the head image sensing device 1A of the first modified example. In a first adjustment step of the head image sensing method of the first modified example, the position of the headrest 5 is adjusted by moving the information detection unit 4 along the direction A relative to the base 3 using a driving force of the first motor M1 ( Fig. 5(a) and Fig. 5(b)). In this case, the headrest 5 moves together with the information detection unit 4. For example, the information detection unit 4 is moved vertically downwards along the direction A from a Fig. 5(a), and the information detection unit 4 is stopped at a position where the height of the first plate 51a of the headrest 5 coincides with the head 21 of the subject 2, as shown in Fig. 5(b). In this way, the position of the headrest 5 is adjusted so that the position corresponds to the position of the head 21 of the subject 2 sitting on the chair 6.

[0050] In a second setting step of the head image acquiring method of the first modified example, the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 are positioned at positions where the information detection unit 4 can acquire an image of the head 23 by moving the headrest 5 relative to the information detection unit 4 by a driving force of the second motor M2, while moving the information detection unit 4 relative to the base 3 by a driving force of the first motor M1 ( Fig. 6(a) and Fig. 6(b)). In this example, the headrest 5 moves along the direction A parallel to the information acquisition unit 4, which moves along the direction A and approaches the base 3, and approaches the information detection unit 4 (the distance between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 decreases). A moving speed of the information detection unit 4 is the same as a moving speed of the headrest 5. That is, the control device 10 controls the first motor M1 and the second motor M2 so that the moving speed of the information detection unit 4 is the same as the moving speed of the headrest 5. As a result, the information detection unit 4 moves vertically downward along the direction A while maintaining the position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 at the same position.That is, in the second setting step of the first modified example, the control device 10 performs movement control to control the second motor M2 so that the headrest 5 approaches the information detection unit 4, while the control device 10 controls the first motor M1 so that the information detection unit 4 approaches the base 3, so that the distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 decreases while the position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 is maintained at the same position.

[0051] With this first modified example, as in the above embodiment, it is possible to suppress the contact between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 and to facilitate the alignment between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4.

[0052] Furthermore, in the first modified example, the control device 10 performs movement control to control the second motor M2 so that the headrest 5 approaches the information detection unit 4, while the control device 10 controls the first motor M1 so that the information detection unit 4 approaches the base 3, so that the distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 decreases while maintaining the position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 at the same position. In this way, the information detection unit 4 can be brought closer to the headrest 5 while maintaining the same position of the headrest 5.

[0053] Furthermore, in the first modified example, the first motor M1 is arranged in the base 3, and the second motor M2 is arranged in the information detection unit 4. In this way, for example, compared with the case where the second motor M2 is arranged in the base 3, it is possible to arrange the second motor M2 close to the headrest 5 and simplify a structure for transmitting a driving force of the second motor M2 to the headrest 5.

[0054] Fig. 7 is a side view of a head image sensing device 1B of a second modified example. The head image sensing device 1B has the same configuration as the head image sensing device 1 of the above embodiment except for the following points. The head image sensing device 1B includes only the first motor M1 and does not include the second motor M2. In the second modified example, the first motor M1 is used to move the information detection unit 4 relative to the base 3 and to move the headrest 5 relative to the base 3. The first moving mechanism 7 moves the information detection unit 4 relative to the base 3 by a driving force of the first motor M1, and the second moving mechanism 8 moves the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 by a driving force of the first motor M1.

[0055] The head image sensing device 1B includes a switching unit 11 that switches a connection state between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8. In this example, the switching unit 11 includes a power transmission mechanism 12, a clutch 13, and a brake 14 that prevents the headrest 5 from falling off, and is arranged in the base 3. The power transmission mechanism 12 is connected to the first motor M1, branches off a driving force of the first motor M1, and transmits part of the driving force to the second moving mechanism 8. The power transmission mechanism 12 includes, for example, a plurality of gears.The clutch 13 is connected between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8, and switches the connection state between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 between a first state in which the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 are connected to each other and a second state in which the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 are disconnected. In the first state, the driving force of the first motor M1 is transmitted to the second moving mechanism 8, while in the second state, the driving force of the first motor M1 is not transmitted to the second moving mechanism 8. The clutch 13 is, for example, a mechanical clutch, but may be any type of clutch. An operation of the clutch 13 (switching unit 11) is controlled, for example, according to an operation of the inspection worker, but may also be controlled by the control device 10.In this example, the clutch 13 is connected to the second movement mechanism 8 via the brake 14. Note that the brake 14 can be omitted.

[0056] In the first state, since the driving force of the first motor M1 is transmitted to both the first moving mechanism 7 and the second moving mechanism 8, the information detection unit 4 is movable relative to the base 3 by the first moving mechanism 7, and the headrest 5 is movable relative to the base 3 by the second moving mechanism 8. The moving direction of the information detection unit 4 is the same as a moving direction of the headrest 5. That is, when the information detection unit 4 moves vertically downward to approach the base 3, the headrest 5 also moves vertically downward to approach the base 3. When the information detection unit 4 moves vertically upward away from the base 3, the headrest 5 also moves vertically upward away from the base 3.Furthermore, a moving speed of the information detection unit 4 is the same as a moving speed of the headrest 5. In this way, the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 can move integrally while maintaining a positional relationship therebetween. Since the driving force of the first motor M1 is transmitted only to the first moving mechanism 7, in the second state, the information detection unit 4 is movable relative to the base 3 by the first moving mechanism 7, but the position of the headrest 5 is fixed.

[0057] Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 are diagrams for describing an example of a head image sensing method using the head image sensing device 1B of the second modified example. In a first setting step of the head image sensing method of the second modified example, the connection state between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 is set to a first state, and the first motor M1 is connected to both the first moving mechanism 7 and the second moving mechanism 8. Then, the position of the headrest 5 is adjusted by moving the headrest 5 together with the information detection unit 4 relative to the base 3 along the direction A by the driving force of the first motor M1 ( Fig. 8(a) and Fig. 8(b)). For example, the headrest 5 together with the information detection unit 4 is made of a Fig. 8(a) is moved vertically downward along the direction A, the headrest 5 is stopped at a position where the height of the first plate 51a of the headrest 5 coincides with the head 21 of the subject 2, as shown in Fig. 8(b).

[0058] In a second setting step of the head image acquisition method of the second modified example, the connection state between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 is set to a second state, and the first motor M1 is connected only to the first moving mechanism 7. Then, by moving the information detection unit 4 along the direction A relative to the base 3 by the driving force of the first motor M1, the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 are positioned at positions where the information detection unit 4 can acquire an image of the head 21 ( Fig. 9(a) and Fig. 9(b)). In this example, the information detection unit 4 approaches the headrest 5 (the distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 decreases) as the information detection unit moves vertically downward along the direction A, and the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 are located at examination positions (space S). In the second adjustment step, the first motor M1 is not connected to the second moving mechanism 8, and the position of the headrest 5 is fixed. That is, in the second adjustment step, the information detection unit 4 can approach the base 3 through the first moving mechanism 7, so that the distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 is reduced while the position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 is maintained at the same position.

[0059] With such a second modified example, as in the above embodiment, it is possible to suppress the contact between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 and to facilitate the alignment between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4.

[0060] Furthermore, in the second modified example, the information detection unit 4 is moved relative to the base 3, and the headrest 5 is moved relative to the base 3 by the first motor M1. Thus, in the second modified example, the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 can be moved by a single actuator (the first motor M1).

[0061] Furthermore, the second modified example includes the switching unit 11 that switches the connection state between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8. Therefore, by switching the connection state between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 using the switching unit 11, the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 can be moved individually.

[0062] Furthermore, in the second modified example, in the first state where the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 are connected to each other, the information detection unit 4 is movable relative to the base 3 by the first moving mechanism 7, and the headrest 5 is movable relative to the base 3 by the second moving mechanism 8. In the second state where the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 are separated from each other, the information detection unit 4 can approach the base 3 by the first moving mechanism 7, so that the distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 decreases while maintaining the position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 at the same position. In this way, the information detection unit 4 can be brought closer to the headrest 5 while maintaining the same position of the headrest 5.

[0063] Fig. 10 is a side view of a head image sensing device 1C of a third modified example. The head image sensing device 1C has the same configuration as the head image sensing device 1B of the second modified embodiment except for the following points. In the head image sensing device 1C, the second moving mechanism 8 is arranged in the main body 41 of the information detection unit 4. The headrest 5 is fixed to the main body 41 via the second moving mechanism 8, and the headrest 5 is movable along the direction A relative to the information detection unit 4 by a driving force of the first motor M1.

[0064] The second moving mechanism 8 includes a second guide rail 82, a rack 83, and a pinion 84. The rack (first rack) 83 extends along the direction A. The rack 83 is formed so that a row of teeth meshing with the teeth of the pinion 84 are aligned in the direction A. The pinion 84 is a cylindrical gear that includes teeth on an outer peripheral surface. In this example, a row of teeth meshing with the teeth of the pinion 84 are formed so that they are aligned in the direction A on the support 52 of the headrest 5, and the pinion 84 is arranged between the rack 83 and the support 52 to mesh with the rack 83 and the support 52. That is, in this example, the support 52 functions as a second rack, and in this case, the support 52 can also be considered as a part of the second movement mechanism 8.When the pinion 84 rotates, the pinion 84 moves along the direction A on the rack 83 together with the support 52, and when the support 52 moves along the direction A. In this example, the second guide rail 82 guides a direction of movement of the pinion 84.

[0065] A pinion shaft of the pinion gear 84 is provided with a clutch that functions as the switching unit 11 that switches the connection state between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8. For example, this clutch is configured similarly to the clutch 13 described above and is connected between the first motor M1 and the pinion gear 84 (the second moving mechanism 8). This clutch switches a connection state between the first motor M1 and the pinion gear 84 between a first state in which the first motor M1 and the pinion gear 84 are connected to each other and a second state in which the first motor M1 and the pinion gear 84 are disconnected from each other. In the first state, a driving force of the first motor M1 is transmitted to the pinion gear 84, while in the second state, the driving force of the first motor M1 is not transmitted to the pinion gear 84.The second moving mechanism 8 has a power transmission mechanism that branches a driving force of the first motor M1 and transmits a part of the driving force to the pinion 84, but the illustration of the power transmission mechanism is shown in FIGS. Fig. 10 to 12 omitted.

[0066] In the second state, the driving force of the first motor M1 is transmitted only to the first moving mechanism 7, so that the information detection unit 4 is movable relative to the base 3 by the first moving mechanism 7. In this case, the headrest 5 can move integrally with the information detection unit 4. In the first state, the driving force of the first motor M1 is transmitted to both the first moving mechanism 7 and the second moving mechanism 8, so that the information detection unit 4 is movable relative to the base 3 by the first moving mechanism 7, and the headrest 5 is movable relative to the information detection unit 4 by the second moving mechanism 8. The moving direction of the information detection unit 4 is opposite to the moving direction of the headrest 5.That is, when the information detection unit 4 moves vertically downward to approach the base 3, the headrest 5 moves vertically upward to approach the information detection unit 4. When the information detection unit 4 moves vertically upward away from the base 3, the headrest 5 moves vertically downward away from the information detection unit 4. In addition, the moving speed of the information detection unit 4 is the same as the moving speed of the headrest 5. In this way, in the first state, the headrest 5 can approach the information detection unit 4 while the information detection unit 4 approaches the base 3, while maintaining the position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 at the same position.

[0067] Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 are diagrams for describing an example of a head image sensing method using the head image sensing device 1C of the third modified example. In a first setting step of the head image sensing method of the third modified example, the connection state between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 is set to a second state, and the first motor M1 is connected only to the first moving mechanism 7. Then, the position of the headrest 5 is adjusted by moving the information detection unit 4 together with the headrest 5 along the direction A relative to the base 3 using a driving force of the first motor M1 ( Fig. 11 (a) and Fig. 11 (b)). For example, the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 are controlled by a Fig. 11(a) is moved vertically downward along the direction A, and the information detection unit 4 is stopped at a position where the height of the plate 51a of the headrest 5 coincides with the head 21 of the subject 2, as shown in Fig. 11(b).

[0068] In the second setting step of the head image acquisition method of the third modified example, the connection state between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 is set to the first state, and the first motor M1 is connected to both the first moving mechanism 7 and the second moving mechanism 8. Then, by moving the headrest 5 relative to the information detection unit 4 while moving the information detection unit 4 along the direction A relative to the base 3 by a driving force of the first motor M1, the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 are positioned at positions where an image of the head 21 can be acquired by the information detection unit 4 ( Fig. 12(a) and Fig. 12(b)). In this example, as described above, when the information detection unit 4 moves vertically downward along the direction A while maintaining the position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 at the same position, the information detection unit 4 approaches the headrest 5 (the distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 decreases), and the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 are positioned at the examination positions (space S). That is, in the second adjustment step, the headrest 5 can be brought closer to the information detection unit 4 by the second moving mechanism 8 while the information detection unit 4 approaches the base 3 by the first moving mechanism 7, so that the distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 decreases while maintaining the position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 at the same position.

[0069] With this third modified example, similar to the above embodiment, it is possible to suppress the contact between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4 and to facilitate the alignment between the headrest 5 and the information detection unit 4.

[0070] Furthermore, in the third modified example, in the second state where the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 are not connected to each other, the information detection unit 4 is movable relative to the base 3 by the first moving mechanism 7, and in the first state where the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8 are connected to each other, the headrest 5 can be brought closer to the information detection unit 4 by the second moving mechanism 8 as the information detection unit 4 approaches the base 3 by the first moving mechanism 7, so that the distance between the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 decreases while the position of the headrest 5 relative to the base 3 is maintained at the same position. In this way, the information detection unit 4 can be brought closer to the headrest 5 while the headrest 5 is maintained at the same position.

[0071] Fig. 13 is a side view of a head image sensing device 1D of a fourth modified example. The head image sensing device 1D has the same configuration as the head image sensing device 1C of the third modified example except for the following points. In the head image sensing device 1D, a second moving mechanism 8 includes a second guide rail 82, a belt 86, a pair of pulleys 87A and 87B, and a clutch 88. The belt 86 is an endless belt and is stretched between the pair of pulleys 87A and 87B and is rotatably supported. The support 52 of the headrest 5 is fixed to the belt 86. The belt 86 rotates according to the rotation of the pulleys 87A and 87B. The rotation of the belt 86 moves the support 52, and as a result, the headrest 5 moves along the direction A.

[0072] The clutch 88 functions as the switching unit 11 that switches the connection state between the first motor M1 and the second moving mechanism 8. The clutch 88, connected between the first motor M1 and a pulley 87A (the second moving mechanism 8), switches a connection state between the first motor M1 and the pulley 87A between a first state in which the first motor M1 and the pulley 87A are connected to each other and a second state in which the first motor M1 and the pulley 87A are separated from each other. In the first state, the driving force of the first motor M1 is transmitted to the pulley 87A, while in the second state, the driving force of the first motor M1 is not transmitted to the pulley 87A.The second moving mechanism 8 has a power transmission mechanism that branches the driving force of the first motor M1 and transmits part of the driving force to the pulley 87A, but the illustration of the power transmission mechanism is shown in FIGS. Fig. 13 to 15 are omitted. An aspect of the movement of the information detection unit 4 and the headrest 5 in each of the first state and the second state is similar to that of the head image sensing device 1C of the third modified example. Fig. 14 and Fig. 15 are diagrams for describing an example of a head image capturing method using the head image capturing device 1D of the fourth modified example. The head image capturing method of the fourth modified example is similar to the head image capturing method of the third modified example described with reference to Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 was described.

[0073] The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and modified examples. For example, the materials and shapes of each structure are not limited to those described above, and various materials and shapes can be used. The head imaging device 1 may be configured as a CT device. In this case, an output unit that outputs radiation may be disposed within the main body 41, and radiation output from the output unit and transmitted through the head 21 of the subject 2 may be detected by the detection unit 43. That is, the detection unit 43 may detect radiation emitted from the head 21 or may detect radiation passing through the head 21.

[0074] When the headrest 5 is connected to the information detection unit 4, the first motor M1 and the second motor M2 may be arranged in the base 3. For example, in the above embodiment, the headrest 5 may be connected to the information detection unit 4. In this case, the second moving mechanism 8 may be provided from the base 3 to the information detection unit 4. The direction in which the information detection unit 4 moves relative to the base 3 and the direction in which the headrest 5 moves relative to the base 3 do not necessarily have to be parallel to each other. The direction A does not necessarily have to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction and may be a direction parallel to the vertical direction. The head image sensing device 1 does not need to include the chair 6.The head image sensing device 1 may include an indicator (e.g., a lamp) for indicating whether the headrest 5 is positioned at a predetermined position, an operating state of the switching unit 11, etc. Although the above embodiments and modified examples were described using examples in which the actuator is a motor, the actuator is not limited to a motor. For example, the actuator may use pneumatic pressure, hydraulic pressure, etc., as a power source. List of reference symbols

[0075] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D: head image sensing device, 2: subject, 21: head, 3: base, 4: information detection unit, 43: detection unit, 5: headrest, 6: chair, 7: first moving mechanism, 8: second moving mechanism, 10: control device, 11: switching unit, M1: first motor (first actuator), M2: second motor (second actuator).

Claims

[1] A head image capturing device for capturing an image of a head of a subject in a sitting state, the head image capturing device comprising: a base; an information detection unit including a detection unit that detects radiation from the subject; and a headrest to which the subject's head is attached, wherein: the information detection unit is connected to the base such that the information detection unit is movable relative to the base, and the headrest is connected to one of the information detection unit and the base such that the headrest is movable relative to the one of the information detection unit and the base. [2] The head image sensing device according to claim 1, wherein a direction in which the information detecting unit moves relative to the base is parallel to a direction in which the headrest moves relative to the one of the information detecting unit and the base. [3] The head image capturing device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a first actuator for moving the information detection unit relative to the base; and a second actuator for moving the headrest relative to the one of the information detection unit and the base. [4] The head image sensing device according to claim 3, further comprising a control device that controls operations of the first actuator and the second actuator, wherein: which is one of the information detection unit and the base, and the control device performs movement control to control the first actuator so that the information detection unit approaches the base in a state where the second actuator is stopped, so that a distance between the information detection unit and the headrest decreases while a position of the headrest relative to the base is maintained at the same position. [5] The head image sensing device according to claim 3, further comprising a control device that controls operations of the first actuator and the second actuator, wherein: one of the information detection unit and the base is the information detection unit, and the control device performs movement control to control the second actuator so that the headrest approaches the information detection unit, while the control device controls the first actuator so that the information detection unit approaches the base such that a distance between the information detection unit and the headrest decreases while a position of the headrest relative to the base is maintained at the same position. [6] The head image sensing device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are arranged in the base. [7] The head image capturing device according to claim 3 or 5, wherein: one of the information detection unit and the base is the information detection unit, and the first actuator is arranged in the base, and the second actuator is arranged in the information detection unit." [8] The head image sensing device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an actuator for moving the information detecting unit relative to the base and moving the headrest relative to the one of the information detecting unit and the base. [9] The head image capturing device according to claim 8, further comprising: a first moving mechanism that moves the information detection unit relative to the base by a driving force of the actuator; a second moving mechanism that moves the headrest relative to one of the information detecting unit and the base by a driving force of the actuator; and a switching unit that switches a connection state between the actuator and the second movement mechanism. [10] The head image capturing device according to claim 9, wherein: which is one of the information detection unit and the base, in a state in which the actuator and the second movement mechanism are connected to each other, the information detection unit is movable relative to the base by the first movement mechanism, and the headrest is movable relative to the base by the second movement mechanism, and in a state where the actuator and the second moving mechanism are separated from each other, the information detecting unit can approach the base through the first moving mechanism, so that a distance between the information detecting unit and the headrest decreases while a position of the headrest relative to the base is maintained at the same position. [11] The head image capturing device according to claim 9, wherein: which is one of the information detection unit and the base the information detection unit, in a state where the actuator and the second movement mechanism are separated from each other, the information detection unit is movable relative to the base by the first movement mechanism, and in a state where the actuator and the second moving mechanism are connected to each other, the headrest can approach the information detecting unit through the second moving mechanism while the information detecting unit approaches the base through the first moving mechanism, so that a distance between the information detecting unit and the headrest decreases while a position of the headrest relative to the base is maintained at the same position. [12] The head image capturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a chair connected to the base for the subject to sit thereon. [13] A head image sensing method using the head image sensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein one of the information detecting unit and the base is the base, the head image sensing method comprising, in this order, the steps of: adjust a position of the headrest by moving the headrest relative to the base; to attach a head of the subject to the headrest; and to position the information detection unit and the headrest by moving the information detection unit relative to the base at positions where an image of the head can be captured by the information detection unit." [14] A head image sensing method using the head image sensing device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein one of the information detecting unit and the base is the information detecting unit, the head image sensing method comprising, in this order, the steps of: adjust a position of the headrest by moving the information detection unit relative to the base; to attach a head of the subject to the headrest; and to position the information detection unit and the headrest at positions where an image of the head can be captured by the information detection unit by moving the headrest relative to the information detection unit while moving the information detection unit relative to the base.

Images