Upright Patient Positioning With Adaptive Support and Beam Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing patient positioning systems for medical imaging and radiation therapy in an upright position suffer from reduced positional reproducibility and lack of stability, hindering the adoption of upright radiotherapy methods that offer improved patient comfort and therapeutic benefits.
Innovation Solution
A patient positioning system with adjustable support members, actuation assemblies, and alignment mechanisms that stabilize and support patients in upright positions, allowing for precise alignment of treatment regions with a radiation beam, and incorporating features like adjustable seats, load cells for weight detection, and backup power systems to ensure stability and reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If patients are positioned in upright position for radiation therapy, then patient comfort and therapeutic benefits are improved, but positional reproducibility and stability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patient support system employs dynamically adjustable support members that can be positioned at multiple angles and heights to adapt to different patient body types and treatment requirements. The actuation assembly enables real-time adjustment of support member positions during patient positioning, allowing the system to dynamically stabilize patients in upright positions while maintaining reproducibility across treatment sessions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes physical parameters of the support members including angle, height, and position to optimize patient stability and comfort. The actuation assembly modifies these parameters programmatically to achieve consistent positional reproduction while accommodating variations in patient anatomy and treatment protocols
2Reliability
If conventional horizontal positioning is used, then positional stability is maintained, but patient comfort and therapeutic benefits for certain indications are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patient support system is designed with multi-functional capabilities to handle both conventional horizontal positioning and upright positioning scenarios. The adjustable support members and actuation assembly enable the same system to provide stable positioning across multiple treatment orientations, making it universally applicable to different treatment protocols and patient needs
3Ease of operation
If upright positioning systems are implemented, then patient comfort increases, but image quality and treatment accuracy may deteriorate due to patient movement
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms through the actuation assembly that continuously monitors and adjusts support member positions to maintain optimal patient stability. This closed-loop control ensures that patient movement is minimized through active compensation, preserving treatment accuracy while maintaining comfort benefits
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein is technology relating to medical imaging and radiation therapy and particularly, but not exclusively, to devices, methods, and systems for positioning a patient with respect to a radiation source to image the patient and/or to treat the patient by exposing the patient to a radiation beam produced by the radiation source.