MRI Patient Posture Guidance System for Positioning Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures, accurately positioning patients to ensure optimal image quality is challenging, often requiring repeated imaging if the patient's posture is not correctly fixed, leading to inefficiencies and additional workload for technologists.
Innovation Solution
An imaging support apparatus and method that includes an input interface and processing circuitry to receive information about the patient's condition and associate it with suitable posture information, displaying this information to technologists to assist in correctly positioning the patient before imaging, utilizing an MRI system with a camera to capture the patient's image and a computer system to process and display necessary posture and coil settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the technologist manually fixes the patient's posture without assistance, then the imaging process can proceed, but the time required for positioning increases and the risk of incorrect posture rises leading to repeated imaging
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically determining the optimal patient posture and displaying it to the technologist before the actual imaging process begins. This pre-positioning guidance eliminates the need for trial-and-error positioning during the imaging procedure, thereby improving efficiency and reducing time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary component (the posture determination and display system) that mediates between the imaging requirements and the patient positioning. This intermediary provides automated posture recommendations that guide the technologist, reducing the cognitive load and potential for error while maintaining efficient workflow.
2Manufacturing precision
If the technologist carefully considers and manually determines patient posture, then positioning accuracy may improve, but the operational complexity and time required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by automatically determining the optimal posture based on imaging parameters and patient information, then presenting this determination to the technologist. This eliminates the need for the technologist to perform complex manual calculations or considerations, while still achieving accurate positioning through the automated system's recommendations.
Solution Approach 2:
The optimal posture is determined in advance by the system before the technologist needs to position the patient. This preliminary determination of positioning parameters provides accurate guidance without requiring the technologist to engage in complex real-time decision-making during the positioning process.
3Reliability
If repeated imaging is performed due to incorrect posture, then the chance of obtaining correct images increases, but the overall imaging time and resource utilization worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms by determining the optimal posture based on imaging parameters and displaying this information to the technologist before imaging begins. This pre-imaging feedback ensures that the correct posture is established upfront, preventing the need for repeated imaging and maintaining high productivity while ensuring imaging success.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging support apparatus according to one embodiment includes an input interface and processing circuitry. The input interface receives input of first information about a disease or a case of a subject. The processing circuitry specifies, on the basis of the first information received by the input interface and second information in which the first information and posture information that expresses a posture of the subject suitable to perform imaging of the disease or the case are associated with each other, the posture information corresponding to the first information. Moreover, the processing circuitry causes a display to display the specified posture information.