Modular Patient Palette for Low-Attenuation Imaging Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging systems face challenges in maintaining accurate and repeatable patient positioning, leading to increased radiation exposure and reduced image quality due to gamma radiation attenuation and improper calibration, especially in cardiac and pediatric scans.
Innovation Solution
A modular support system with interchangeable palettes and extenders that can be removably connected to the imaging system, allowing for customizable patient positioning to minimize radiation attenuation and improve image resolution, including features like notches for cardiac scans and cradles for pediatric patients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed patient table is used in medical imaging systems, then the device structure is simple, but the patient positioning accuracy and adaptability to different scan types are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patient table is divided into a base portion and a removable extender portion. The extender portion can be detached and replaced based on different scan types (e.g., cardiac, pediatric, transmission scans), allowing the system to adapt to various imaging requirements without redesigning the entire table structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The base portion of the table is designed with universal features that can accommodate multiple types of extenders. Different extenders can be attached to the same base, enabling one table structure to serve multiple scanning purposes including cardiac imaging, pediatric imaging, and transmission measurements.
2Measurement precision
If manual positioning of calibration sources and phantoms is used, then the operation is simple, but the alignment accuracy and image resolution are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The extender portions are pre-configured with mounting features and positioning mechanisms that guide the correct placement of calibration sources and phantoms. This preliminary design ensures proper alignment before the actual scanning begins, eliminating the need for complex manual adjustment during operation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If adhesive tapes and sedation are used to restrain pediatric patients, then the patient can be held stable, but the patient comfort and safety are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The extender portions include specifically designed pediatric features such as molded contours, recesses, and positioning elements that locally adapt to a child's body shape and size. These features provide stable positioning through anatomical conformity rather than adhesive tapes, and through designed restraint mechanisms rather than full sedation.
4Measurement precision
If the patient table attenuates gamma radiation, then the table structure is robust, but the image quality and transmission measurement accuracy are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The extender portions are designed to be removed or configured away from the scanning path when not needed. For transmission scans and cardiac imaging, the extender can be positioned to minimize attenuation, and in some configurations, only the necessary minimal structure remains in the gamma radiation path, reducing attenuation while maintaining structural support.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for patient positioning in an imaging system are provided. A palette for an imaging system is provided that includes a base portion movably connected to the imaging system and an extender portion removably connected to the base portion. The extender portion together with the base portion supports an object to be imaged by the imaging system.