Touchscreen-Controlled Fluoroscopy Collimator Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional X-ray imaging systems in orthopedic surgery face challenges in accurately and intuitively narrowing or widening the X-ray beam to the area of interest during surgery, leading to potential overexposure and suboptimal settings due to indirect and non-intuitive collimator adjustments.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a digital fluoroscopy system with servo motors controlled by a touchscreen interface, using dilatable collimator irises and plates in front of X-ray imaging devices, allows for precise adjustment of the irradiated area by processing user input data to control servo motors and display the current movement status on the touchscreen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If keyed in numerical values are used to adjust the physical positions of the collimators, then the collimators can be adjusted, but the adjustment process becomes indirect, difficult, and non-intuitive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a graphical user interface that displays a visual copy or representation of the X-ray beam area on a touchscreen. The user interacts with this graphical representation rather than entering numerical values, making the adjustment intuitive and direct while the system translates the graphical input into actual collimator positions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the X-ray beam is narrowed by protective lead collimator shutters, then radiation exposure is reduced, but the user's understanding of the selected area of interest is improved only if adjustment is intuitive
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides visual feedback by displaying the selected area of interest and the corresponding collimator settings on the touchscreen interface. This feedback loop allows the user to see the relationship between their selections and the actual X-ray beam area, improving understanding and enabling better control over radiation exposure.
3Productivity
If conventional collimator adjustment methods are used, then the system can control the X-ray beam, but the setting process is time-consuming and leads to non-optimal settings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical or manual numerical input system with a touchscreen graphical interface. This substitution allows for faster and more accurate selection of the area of interest through direct visual manipulation, eliminating the time-consuming process of entering numerical values and reducing errors in collimator positioning.
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 rapid, accurate, and intuitive adjustment of the X-ray beam, reducing radiation exposure and ensuring optimal viewing of the area of interest, thereby improving surgical safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
servo motors controlled by user input on a touchscreen
Implementation Method 2
X-ray device mounted to generate X-ray images
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile digital fluoroscopy system comprises either a G-arm (18) stand (1) having two X-ray beam transmitter (21,23)/receiver (22,24) pairs arranged at right angles to each other or a C-arm having a single transmitter/receiver pair. Protective collimator shutter plates (1060) at each transmitter limit the X-ray irradiation area. These collimator plates are properly adjusted via servo motors prior to or during the operation, by fingertip movements, touching collimator representations on a touchscreen for each transmitter/receiver pair, to provide both protection to the surgeon and patient and sufficient fluoroscopic view to the surgeon of the operation site of interest in the body.