C-Arm Collision Protection via Patient-Specific Optical Zone
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging systems with moveable parts, such as C-arm x-ray systems, face challenges in collision protection due to one-size-fits-all protective zones that are often too large for thinner patients, leading to unnecessary slowing or stopping of the C-arm movement, which can prolong procedure times and reduce efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an optical sensor system that detects the patient's surface to calculate an individual protective zone tailored to the patient's shape, allowing for precise control of the moveable parts' movement by slowing or stopping them when entering this zone, thereby enhancing safety and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a one-size-fits-all protective zone is used for all patients, then patient safety is ensured, but the movement margin of the C-arm is unnecessarily restricted leading to longer procedure times
Solution Approach 1:
The protective zone is customized for each patient based on their specific body shape and dimensions detected by optical sensors. Instead of applying a uniform protective zone to all patients, the system adapts the zone's size and shape to match the individual patient's anatomy, thereby maintaining safety while minimizing unnecessary movement restrictions on the C-arm.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective zone is made dynamic and adaptable rather than static and fixed. The system continuously detects the patient's surface geometry and adjusts the protective zone parameters accordingly, allowing the zone to dynamically conform to different patient sizes and shapes, thus optimizing both safety and operational efficiency.
2Reliability
If the protective zone is positioned far from the patient surface for thin patients, then collision protection is provided, but the C-arm movement is unnecessarily slowed down
Solution Approach 1:
The protective zone distance is locally optimized for each patient based on their specific body dimensions. For thin patients, the zone is positioned closer to the surface, while for larger patients, it is positioned farther away. This localized adaptation ensures adequate protection without imposing excessive movement restrictions on the C-arm.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the protective zone parameters (distance, size, shape) based on detected patient characteristics. By adjusting these parameters dynamically according to the patient's body type, the system maintains appropriate safety margins while minimizing the impact on C-arm movement and procedure efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If optical sensors are positioned on the C-arm to detect patient proximity, then real-time detection is achieved, but the sensor coverage is minimal leading to false slowing of movement
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensor system is designed to provide comprehensive detection coverage for the entire patient area, making it universally applicable regardless of the C-arm's position or angle. This multi-functional detection capability ensures accurate proximity measurement across all operating conditions, preventing false slowing of the C-arm movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback from the optical sensors to the control system, which adjusts the protective zone parameters in real-time based on the detected patient surface. This feedback mechanism ensures that the C-arm movement is only restricted when truly necessary, maintaining both detection accuracy and operational efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables faster and more accurate collision protection by allowing a larger movement margin for the C-arm, reducing unnecessary slowing or stopping, and improving workflow by accounting for the patient's specific shape, thus enhancing both safety and procedural efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an optical sensor for detecting the surface of the patient
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a medical imaging system as well as a collision protection method for such a system. In this system the movement of a moveable part, e.g. a C-arm, is stopped or slowed down, if the part enters an individual protective zone enclosing the patient. This zone is calculated individually for each patient from the surface of the patient detected by an optical sensor.