Patient positioning apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radiation therapy and imaging systems are expensive and complex, limiting their availability to patients in regional or developing areas due to the need for costly and intricate setups to stabilize and shield moving radiation sources for patients in a supine position.
Innovation Solution
A patient positioning assembly that allows patients to be oriented in both seated and standing positions, using a translatable member and patient support assembly that can rotate and adjust vertically, enabling the radiation source to target any part of the body from head to feet with reduced vertical travel requirements, and a beam-stopper shield with absorption layers to manage radiation effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the radiation source is made movable to target different body parts, then the treatment coverage is improved, but the system complexity and cost increase due to stabilization and shielding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of moving the radiation source to target different body parts, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the radiation source fixed and moving the patient support assembly. The patient support assembly translates vertically and rotates to position the patient under the fixed radiation source, achieving full body coverage without the complexity of moving the radiation source itself.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the radiation source is made movable to treat different body regions, then the treatment versatility is improved, but the shielding requirements and installation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by fixing the radiation source and making the patient support assembly movable instead. This eliminates the need for complex shielding around a moving radiation source, as the fixed source requires shielding only in its stationary position, significantly reducing installation cost and complexity while maintaining treatment versatility.
3Volume of moving object
If the patient support assembly is made compact to reduce vertical space, then the space efficiency is improved, but the range of motion and positioning capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patient support assembly is segmented into multiple independent components: a translatable member for vertical movement, a patient support assembly for rotation about a vertical axis, and adjustable support elements (seat, backrest, leg supports). This segmentation allows each component to have a compact form while the coordinated operation of all segments provides full positioning capability for treating any body region.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a patient positioning assembly for orientating a patient with respect to a radiation source. The patient positioning assembly includes a translatable member movable in a vertical direction between a vertically downwards first position and a vertically upwards second position. The patient positioning assembly further includes a patient support assembly mounted to the translatable member and adapted to rotate relative to the translatable member about a vertical axis. The patient support assembly is configurable between a first orientation, which sustains the patient in a seated position, and a second orientation, which sustains the patient in a generally standing position.