Patient Couch Positioning Guidance for Medical Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging systems face challenges in accurately positioning patients due to limited travel ranges of patient couches, leading to incorrect measurements, increased radiation exposure, and inefficiencies, particularly for patients with unique sizes or claustrophobic anxieties, as existing markings provide insufficient guidance.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that determines the optimal positional state of a patient relative to the imaging unit by ascertaining object information, defining the region of interest, and generating user output for correct positioning, utilizing sensors and processing units to adapt to individual patient geometries and examination requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the patient is positioned on the patient couch without automated assistance, then the user can manually adjust the position, but this leads to trial-and-error positioning, increased radiation exposure, and incorrect measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically determining the optimal patient position on the couch before the imaging examination begins. The processing unit calculates the correct positioning based on patient data and examination parameters, providing guidance markings on the couch surface. This preliminary positioning guidance eliminates the need for trial-and-error adjustments during the actual examination, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary element in the form of a processing unit that acts as a mediator between the user and the patient positioning process. This processing unit receives patient information and examination parameters, computes the optimal position, and provides feedback through visual markings on the couch. This intermediary intelligence resolves the contradiction by automating the complex calculation and decision-making processes, leaving only simple visual guidance for the user to follow.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the patient couch travel range is limited, then the device structure remains compact, but this prevents correct positioning for patients with unique sizes or anatomies
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the recommended patient position on the couch based on varying patient parameters (size, anatomy) and examination parameters. The processing unit calculates different optimal positions for different patient-couch-imaging unit configurations. This allows the system to adapt to patients of all sizes within the fixed couch travel range, resolving the contradiction between compact device structure and patient size accommodation.
3Loss of information
If manual positioning guidance markings are used, then the device structure remains simple, but this provides insufficient guidance for the variety of different examinations and patient requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamics by providing dynamic and adaptive positioning guidance rather than static markings. The processing unit generates customized positioning information based on the specific patient data and examination type, updating the guidance markings accordingly. This dynamic approach ensures complete positioning information is provided for each unique scenario without requiring complex hardware changes, as the intelligence is software-based and highly flexible.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method is for operating a medical imaging system. The imaging system includes an imaging unit and a positioning apparatus for positioning an examination object. In an embodiment, the method includes ascertainment of object information relating to the examination object; determination of a region of interest for the examination object, the region of interest being defined as a region of the examination object to be examined by the imaging unit in the context of an examination to be performed; arrival at a determination concerning a positional state of the examination object relative to the positioning apparatus and, to be precise, based on the region of interest and the object information; and provision of user output for a user of the imaging system based on the determination.