Collimator Server Handling System for Nuclear Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of heavy, high-density materials like lead for collimators in nuclear medicine imaging systems poses challenges such as risk of damage to equipment and injury to technicians during mounting/removal, increases setup time, reduces patient throughput, and requires significant space for storage, due to their bulkiness and weight.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a collimator server into the patient handling system, which includes drawers for storing and transferring collimators, allowing for automated or manual alignment, lifting, and clamping of collimators within the system, reducing manual handling and enabling efficient swapping without moving system components from standard positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If heavy high-density materials like lead are used for collimators to effectively stop imaging photons, then the collimator's ability to absorb radiation is improved, but the weight of the collimator increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a counterweight mechanism balanced against the heavy collimator. The counterweight system includes weights that can be positioned to balance the collimator's weight, enabling safe manual handling and mounting without requiring excessive force or risking equipment damage.
2Adaptability or versatility
If collimators are made mountable to allow geometry changes for different imaging situations, then the adaptability of the imaging system is improved, but the risk of damage to equipment and injury to technicians during mounting/removal increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-positiones the counterweight to balance the collimator before mounting operations begin. This preliminary balancing action ensures that the collimator is in a safe, balanced state throughout the mounting and removal process, eliminating sudden movements that could cause damage or injury.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates safety features including controlled movement mechanisms and balanced positioning that prevent uncontrolled dropping or sudden movements of the heavy collimator during mounting and removal operations, cushioning against potential damage and injury.
3Adaptability or versatility
If collimators are made mountable to allow swapping for different geometries, then the versatility of imaging is improved, but the setup time for patient scans increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple collimators are pre-loaded into the detector assembly in different positions before the imaging procedure begins. The system can quickly switch between pre-positioned collimators without requiring time-consuming manual handling, significantly reducing setup time while maintaining versatility.
4Reliability
If heavy collimators are used to effectively stop imaging photons, then the radiation detection accuracy is improved, but the floor space required for storage increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple collimators are stored in a nested or stacked configuration within the detector assembly. The collimators are arranged vertically or in compact layers, allowing multiple heavy collimators to occupy minimal floor space while remaining easily accessible for quick changes.
5Adaptability or versatility
If manual handling of heavy collimators is performed to mount or remove them, then the flexibility to swap collimators is maintained, but the productivity and patient throughput of the imaging system decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Collimators are pre-positioned and pre-balanced within the detector assembly before patient scanning begins. This allows rapid switching between collimators during the scanning process without requiring time-consuming manual handling, thereby maintaining productivity and patient throughput while preserving the ability to interchange collimators.
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 minimizes the risk of damage and injury, significantly reduces setup time, optimizes space usage, and enhances patient throughput by streamlining the collimator exchange process, ensuring safer and more efficient operation of nuclear medicine imaging systems.
Implementation Method 1
a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the collimator between a storage position and an operational position
Implementation Method 2
a clamping mechanism for clamping and releasing the collimator at the operational position
Data Source
AI summary
A collimator handling system for partially or fully automating the task of replacing and storing collimators in nuclear imaging systems. A collimator server stores a set of different collimators in stacked drawers which may be automatically extracted into the detector. The reduction in time spent on these tasks reduces cost and increases throughput. Furthermore, the automation of handling heavy lead (or like) collimators increases technician safety.