Gantry Control Circuitry for Vertical Misalignment Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional standing-state radiography X-ray CT apparatuses face misalignment issues due to mechanical malfunctions or physical factors, leading to increased X-ray exposure and potential harm to subjects, as well as apparatus malfunctions, when imaging in a standing or sitting position.
Innovation Solution
A medical image diagnostic apparatus with a gantry, columns, gantry drive motors, position detectors, and gantry control circuitry that determines possible gantry movement based on misalignment between support positions, allowing for real-time adjustment and interlocking to prevent unsafe operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If synchronous control is applied to mechanism units in two columns to drive the gantry vertically, then the gantry can be positioned accurately for imaging, but misalignment may still occur due to mechanical malfunctions or physical factors, leading to increased X-ray exposure and potential harm to subjects
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of misalignment between columns before imaging begins. The detection unit measures the relative position of columns in advance, and if misalignment exceeds a predetermined threshold, the system prevents imaging operation from starting, thereby avoiding unnecessary X-ray exposure to subjects while maintaining the capability for accurate positioning when conditions are suitable
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the relative positions of columns through position detectors and compares them against predetermined thresholds. When misalignment is detected, feedback is provided to the control unit which then prevents gantry operation or alerts the operator, creating a closed-loop safety mechanism that reduces harmful X-ray exposure while preserving imaging accuracy when alignment is adequate
2Adaptability or versatility
If the gantry is driven vertically by mechanism units in two columns, then imaging in standing or sitting positions is enabled, but misalignment between columns may cause apparatus malfunction or harm to subjects
Solution Approach 1:
Before allowing the gantry to operate in versatile imaging positions, the system performs preliminary detection of column alignment. The detection unit measures relative column positions in advance, and only when misalignment is within acceptable thresholds does the system permit imaging operations, thereby maintaining apparatus reliability while preserving imaging position flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit receives continuous feedback from position detectors about column alignment status. When misalignment exceeds safety thresholds, the system provides feedback to prevent gantry operation in standing or sitting positions, creating a safety mechanism that maintains reliability without permanently limiting operational versatility
3Object-affected harmful factors
If misalignment detection and interlocking control are implemented, then subject safety and apparatus protection are improved, but the system complexity increases due to additional detection units and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs multiple functions: it controls gantry operation, processes position detection signals, determines misalignment status, and executes interlocking control to prevent harmful operations. By making the control unit multi-functional rather than adding separate dedicated safety systems, the patent reduces overall device complexity while maintaining subject safety
Solution Approach 2:
The detection units are integrated into the existing column structure, and the control unit uses the same processing capabilities for both imaging control and safety monitoring. The system essentially monitors and protects itself using existing computational resources, avoiding the need for entirely separate safety subsystems and thereby minimizing increases in device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a medical image diagnostic apparatus includes a gantry, columns, gantry drive motors, position detectors, and gantry control circuitry. The gantry has a bore along a vertical direction. The columns movably support the gantry along the vertical direction, with one end of the bore facing a floor surface and the gantry being interposed between the columns. The gantry drive motors move the gantry along the vertical direction. The position detectors detect support positions at which the gantry is supported in each of the columns. The gantry control circuitry determines whether or not movement of the gantry along the vertical direction is possible, based on information regarding misalignment between the support positions.