IPC분류정보
| 국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
| 국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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| 출원번호 |
UP-0918369
(2001-07-30)
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| 등록번호 |
US-7697971
(2010-05-20)
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|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Green, Jr., Charles A.
- Gelbien, Mark
- Wahl, William H.
- Damadian, Raymond V.
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| 출원인 / 주소 |
|
| 대리인 / 주소 |
Lerner, David, Littenberg, Krumholz & Mentlik, LLP
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| 인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
82 |
초록
▼
A positioning system for an MRI system. One aspect includes a support member for moving a patient in a non-horizontal direction within a scanning area of the MRI system, a drive member for driving the support member, and a controller for controlling the drive member to position the patient at a desi
A positioning system for an MRI system. One aspect includes a support member for moving a patient in a non-horizontal direction within a scanning area of the MRI system, a drive member for driving the support member, and a controller for controlling the drive member to position the patient at a desired location within the scanning area. One aspect includes a guide member attached to a floor beneath the scanning area for guiding a platform member along a first linear axis generally parallel to the floor and perpendicular to a magnetic field axis of a magnet of the MRI system. A controller controls a drive member to position the patient at a desired horizontal location within the scanning area. One aspect includes a frame, a platform member rotatably coupled to the frame. A controller controls a drive member to rotate the platform member and position the patient at a desired angle within the scanning area.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising: (a) a magnet having a pair of opposed pole elements defining a field axis and a patient-receiving space between said pole elements; (b) one or more guide members extending horizontally along a guide axis transverse to said field
What is claimed is: 1. A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising: (a) a magnet having a pair of opposed pole elements defining a field axis and a patient-receiving space between said pole elements; (b) one or more guide members extending horizontally along a guide axis transverse to said field axis; (c) a carriage frame movable relative to said magnet along said guide members, said frame defining a pivot axis substantially parallel to said field axis; (d) a patient support defining a support direction transverse to said pivot axis, said patient support and said support direction being pivotable through a range of orientations relative to said carriage frame about said pivot axis, the patient support being linearly movable relative to said pivot axis and relative to said carriage frame in said support direction separately from pivoting motion of the patient support about said pivot axis when said support and said support direction are in any orientation within said range; (e) one or more drive mechanisms adapted to actuate said pivoting movement and support direction movement of said support and movement of said frame along said one or more guide members; and (f) a controller connected to said one or more drive mechanisms and operative to command said one or more drive mechanisms to move said support from a loading position to an imaging position in which at least a portion of said patient support is disposed within said imaging space. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient support has one or more connection mechanisms for removably attaching one or more MRI fixtures to the patient support. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the connection mechanism is adapted to mount said MRI fixture at substantially any location along the patient support. 4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a foot-stand extending generally perpendicular relative to a major surface of the patient support. 5. The system of claim 2, wherein the patient support includes attachment members for removably mounting a seat to the patient support. 6. The system of claim 2, further comprising supports which are removably attachable to the patient support, the supports being adapted for cushioning a patient's shoulders. 7. The system of claim 2, further comprising one or more RF connection ports mounted to the patient support, the system further comprising an RF receiver and a circuit arranged to connect one or more of said RF connection ports to said receiver. 8. The system of claim 2, wherein the patient support includes a form fitting mattress material. 9. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more connection mechanisms includes a dove-tailed slot located on the patient support. 10. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more connection mechanisms includes a member chosen from a group consisting of hook-and-loop fasteners, suction cups, and vacuum devices. 11. The system of claim 2 further comprising a conveyor belt which is movably attached to said patient support, said one or more connection mechanisms including a mounting mechanism attached to said conveyor belt. 12. The system of claim 2, further comprising one or more MRI fixtures adapted to engage said one or more connection mechanisms. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more MRI fixtures includes one or more fixtures for use in performing MRI scans of specific anatomic regions of the patient. 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more MRI fixtures includes one or more RF coils. 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more MRI fixtures includes a member chosen from a group consisting of surface coils, cine fixtures, calibration equipment, patient restraints, patient seating, biopsy apparatus, patient support fixtures, stereotactic apparatus, tracking devices, exercise equipment, gymnastic equipment, and robotic equipment. 16. The system of claim 1 wherein said pivot axis is substantially horizontal. 17. The system of claim 16 wherein said one or more guide members extend below said pivot axis. 18. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller is operative to command said one or more drive mechanisms to bring said patient support to any one of a plurality of imaging positions. 19. The system of claim 1 wherein said patient support includes an elongated platform extending in said support direction. 20. The system of claim 19 wherein, when said patient support is in said loading position, said elongated platform extends generally vertically. 21. The system of claim 20 wherein, when said patient support is in said loading position, faces in a forward direction away from said field axis, and movement of the patient support from said loading position to said imaging position includes movement of said frame in a rearward direction along said one or more guide members. 22. The system of claim 21 wherein, when said patient support is in said loading position, said patient support is disposed outside of said magnet but adjacent thereto. 23. The system of claim 20 wherein said patient support includes a foot rest and said foot rest is disposed near the bottom of the platform when said support is in said loading position. 24. A method of positioning a patient for magnetic resonance imaging comprising the steps of: (a) loading a patient on a patient support while the patient support is disposed in a loading position with the support in proximity to a magnet; (b) specifying an imaging position for the patient support; and (c) moving the patient support from said loading position to said imaging position by: (i) rotating the patient support about a pivot axis parallel to the field axis; (ii) moving the patient support linearly relative to the pivot axis in a support direction transverse to the pivot axis, the linear movement of the patient support being performed separately from rotation of the patient support about the pivot axis; and (iii) moving the pivot axis linearly along a horizontal guide axis transverse to the field axis. 25. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein said patient support is pivotably mounted to a carriage frame defining said pivot axis and said step of moving the pivot axis includes moving the frame relative to the magnet. 26. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein said step of moving the carriage frame includes moving the carriage frame on one or more guide members extending along said guide axis. 27. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein said patient support includes an elongated platform and, when said patient support is in said loading position, said elongated platform extends generally vertically. 28. The method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said patient support includes a foot rest projecting from said elongated platform, and said foot rest is disposed near the bottom of the elongated platform when the patient support is in said loading position. 29. The method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said platform faces in a forward direction when said patient support is in said loading position and said step of moving said pivot axis includes moving said pivot axis along said guide axis in a rearward direction, opposite to said forward direction. 30. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein, when said patient support is in said loading position, said patient support is disposed outside of said magnet but adjacent thereto.
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