3D CT Brain Scan Planning to Exclude Eye Radiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing CT scanners face challenges in properly positioning patients for brain scans, leading to unnecessary radiation exposure of the eyes due to non-compliance with anatomical guidelines, particularly when using 2D surview scans.
Innovation Solution
A CT scanner system with a camera system and controller that performs a low-dose 3D scout scan to detect patient head position and orientation, allowing for automatic analysis and adjustment of the field of view to exclude the eyes, using gantry tilt or patient repositioning to ensure optimal brain coverage without irradiating the eyes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the field of view is expanded to ensure full brain coverage, then the brain scan completeness is improved, but the radiation exposure of the eyes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 2D surview scans to 3D volumetric scans for scan planning. This dimensional change enables accurate determination of the patient's head position and orientation in three-dimensional space, allowing the system to precisely calculate a field of view that covers the entire brain while excluding the eyes, thus resolving the contradiction between complete brain coverage and eye protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual scan planning by operators with an automated computer-based system. The controller automatically analyzes the 3D surview scan data, determines the optimal field of view parameters, and configures the scan accordingly. This substitution eliminates human error and ensures consistent compliance with anatomical guidelines, preventing unnecessary eye radiation while maintaining complete brain coverage.
2Device complexity
If 2D surview scans are used for scan planning, then the planning process is simple, but the accuracy of field of view determination is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs 3D volumetric scanning instead of traditional 2D surview scans for scan planning. This provides comprehensive spatial information about the patient's anatomy and head position, enabling precise calculation of the field of view boundaries. The 3D data allows accurate determination of the orientation angle relative to anatomical landmarks, significantly improving field of view determination accuracy while maintaining automated processing simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If manual scan planning is performed by operators, then flexibility in adjusting field of view is maintained, but compliance with anatomical guidelines is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual operator-based scan planning with an automated computer-controlled system. The controller automatically processes the 3D surview scan data, applies anatomical guideline criteria, and determines the optimal field of view parameters. This automation ensures consistent and reliable compliance with anatomical guidelines while maintaining operational efficiency. The system can still accommodate manual adjustments when clinically necessary, combining automated reliability with operational flexibility.
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
Reduces radiation exposure to the eyes by accurately determining the field of view through a two-stage process, ensuring compliance with anatomical guidelines and providing a final field of view that excludes the eyes, even in cases where gantry tilt is not available.
Implementation Method 1
a camera system for detecting a head position and orientation of the patient relative to the CT scanner
Implementation Method 2
an X-ray tube and detector within the gantry; control the CT scanner to perform a low dose 3D scan
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4a~4c
AI summary
A CT scanner for performing a brain scan performs a low dose 3D scan with a first field of view. By analyzing the low dose 3D scan, for example using landmark detection, a proposed field of view is obtained for a full dose 3D brain scan. A representation of the proposed field of view is displayed, and a final field of view is generated, as the proposed field of view or an updated version of the proposed field of view provided by a user of the CT scanner.