Multi-Positioner Holder for Medical Imaging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging systems face challenges in maintaining optimal patient head or extremity positioning, particularly for patients who cannot hold still or have involuntary movements, leading to suboptimal image quality and increased radiation exposure due to the inability to adjust positions during scans.
Innovation Solution
A multi-positioner holder system with a cradle and adjustable pads that allow for various discrete angles, secured by straps, enabling precise and stable positioning of patient heads or extremities, reducing the risk of pinching and improving image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed head holder is used, then the structure is simple, but the positioning adaptability is poor and cannot accommodate different angles or patient conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The head holder employs an adjustable mechanism that allows the holder to be positioned at multiple discrete angles. The mechanism includes a movable arm that can be tilted to different angles and locked in place, transforming a static fixed holder into a dynamic adjustable one. This resolves the contradiction by enabling adaptability through controlled movement while maintaining structural simplicity through a straightforward mechanical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The head holder is divided into separate functional components: a base, an adjustable arm, and a head support element. The arm can be independently tilted and locked at different angles, allowing each segment to perform its specific function. This segmentation enables multi-angle positioning without requiring a completely complex reconfigurable structure, thus improving adaptability while controlling overall device complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If an adjustable head holder mechanism is used, then positioning precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable mechanism allows precise positioning at multiple discrete angles through a simple tilting and locking system. The mechanism achieves positioning precision by enabling the holder to be securely fixed at predetermined angular positions rather than requiring continuous adjustment capability. This maintains relatively simple device complexity while delivering the needed positioning precision for different imaging scenarios.
3Ease of operation
If the head holder allows patient adjustment, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability decreases for combative or involuntary moving patients
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanism is designed to be easily adjustable by the operator during setup, allowing quick changes between different angular positions. Once positioned, the locking mechanism secures the holder firmly to prevent any movement by the patient. This dual-phase design provides ease of operation during adjustment while ensuring reliability and stability during the imaging procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism is designed to counteract patient movements before they can cause positioning errors. By securing the holder at the desired angle prior to imaging, the system preemptively prevents any potential movement from combative or involuntary patients, ensuring position stability throughout the procedure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple padding positions are provided, then adaptability for different angles is improved, but device complexity and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing multiple separate padding components for different angles, the design uses a single adjustable mechanism that can be tilted to various discrete angles. This dynamic approach allows the same physical structure to accommodate multiple angles, eliminating the need for multiple padding sets and significantly reducing setup time while maintaining full angular adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
Various systems are provided for a support assembly for a medical imaging system. In one example, a system comprising, a support assembly for use with an imaging system, the support assembly comprising, a cradle including a base and opposing sidewalls, and a plurality of pads shaped to seat against the base within an opening formed between the opposing sidewalls, where each pad of the plurality of pads supports a head or extremity of a subject to be imaged at a different angle relative to the base.