FR2967343A1 - MEDICAL IMAGING APPARATUS. - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile medical imaging apparatus (100) comprising a ray transmitter (102) and a ray receiver (104), characterized by comprising means (116) for moving said receiver (104) between an unfolded position and a retracted position. The apparatus according to the invention further comprises means for changing the orientation between the transmitter (102) and the receiver (104).

Description

-1- "Medical Imaging Device"

The present invention relates to a mobile medical imaging apparatus using X-rays.

The field of the invention is the medical field. The invention applies more particularly to the field of high precision medical imaging, by the use of X-rays, an end of the body of a subject such as a wrist, ankle, etc., or of a joint of a subject such as a knee, an elbow, etc. Currently, there are a plurality of mobile medical imaging devices. Among these mobile devices include devices dedicated to mammography or dental imaging, devices, called "surgical mobiles" dedicated to medical imaging applications during surgery, and devices, called "Radiological Mobiles" Used to perform medical imaging in a subject's bed. These apparatuses include an emitting portion comprising an X-ray emission source for cooperating with a receiver portion comprising or consisting of a sensor. X-rays captured by the sensor are then processed by processing means to obtain an image of a body part of a subject between the source and the sensor. On some imaging devices, the receiving portion is integral with the imaging apparatus.

Mobile imaging devices are intended to be moved to the patient to avoid moving the patient to the device. Thus, the mobile imaging apparatus is caused to be moved from one room to another and more generally on the site from one point of use to another on many occasions.

These displacements constitute opportunities to damage the imaging apparatus and more particularly the receiving part, and more precisely the sensor. Indeed, it happens very often that the imaging device bangs against a wall or an object when the operator moves it especially in -2- sites such as hospitals where there is a large number of mobile tools such as than care trolleys or whatever. However, the sensor used in these devices is a sensitive part and has a significant cost especially when the sensor used is a high definition sensor. Moreover, even a slight malfunction of the sensor is not acceptable since it can have significant consequences on the diagnosis that will be made with the image taken by the device.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks. Another object of the invention is to provide a more robust mobile imaging apparatus. Finally, another object of the invention is to provide a mobile imaging device with less risk when traveling.

The invention proposes to achieve the aforementioned aims by a medical imaging mobile device comprising a ray emitter and a ray receiver, characterized in that it comprises means for moving said receiver between an unfolded position and a retracted position . By "unfolded position" is meant a position of use of the receiver, that is to say a position in which the receiver, and therefore the sensor located in the receiver, is able to receive at least in part the emitted rays by the transmitter to realize an image of a body part of a subject. By "retracted position" is meant a position in which the receiver, and therefore the sensor, is not able to receive the rays emitted by the transmitter and is not able to make an image of a part of the body of the body. 'a subject. In the retracted position the receiver is protected against external shocks. The apparatus according to the invention therefore makes it possible to position the receiver in a retracted position when the apparatus is not in use and especially when the apparatus is brought to be moved. Thus, the apparatus according to the invention is therefore better protected against damage, and more particularly against damage caused by shocks with walls or an object, for example when the imaging apparatus is moved from one to another. one place to another. The mobile imaging apparatus according to the invention is therefore more robust than current imaging devices and presents less risk of damage to the receiver and therefore the ray sensor. Moreover, the fact of having a retractable or foldable receiver allows the use of non-integral sensors of the imaging apparatus under specific conditions, for example fixed on a support independent of the imaging apparatus, such as a wall column. Thus, the imaging device allows both to have a receiver integral with the device and a non-integral or external receiver.

In a particular example, in the unfolded position, the receiver may be in a plane perpendicular to the ray emission axis and in the retracted position in a plane parallel to the ray emission axis.

Advantageously, the means for moving the receiver between an unfolded position and a retracted position comprise means for rotating said receiver around a first axis of rotation. Thus, the ray receiver can be quickly protected by a simple movement. The apparatus according to the invention may further comprise means for locking the receiver in the unfolded position and / or in the retracted position. These means may comprise locking means, for example by clamping. The first axis of rotation may be an axis of rotation perpendicular to the ray emission axis of the transmitter and selected so that in the retracted position the transmitter is folded towards the body of the imaging apparatus.

According to a feature of the apparatus according to the invention, the means for moving the receiver between an unfolded position and a retracted position may comprise means, for example locking, for positioning said receiver at at least one position between said retracted position and said unfolded position.

The apparatus according to the invention may further comprise means for modifying the orientation of the transmitter with respect to the orientation of the receiver and / or vice versa. This modification of orientation makes it possible to obtain a modification of the orientation of the plane of the receiver and therefore of the ray sensor with respect to the ray emission axis and thus to obtain a positioning of the plane of the receiver that is not perpendicular to the axis of emission of the rays. The modification of the orientation of the transmitter with respect to the orientation of the receiver can be achieved in several ways.

In a first version of the imaging apparatus according to the invention, the means for modifying the orientation of the transmitter relative to that of the receiver may comprise means of rotation of the transmitter with respect to the receiver around the transmitter. a horizontal axis.

In a second version of the imaging apparatus according to the invention, the means for modifying the orientation of the transmitter relative to that of the receiver may comprise means of rotation of the receiver relative to the transmitter around a horizontal axis.

In a third version of the imaging apparatus according to the invention, the means for modifying the orientation of the transmitter relative to that of the receiver may comprise means of rotation of the receiver and the transmitter with respect to the emitter around a horizontal axis or two horizontal collinear axes. In this latter version, it is therefore possible to modify both the orientation of the transmitter and the orientation of the transmitter relative to the body of the device or an external fixed reference. In a particular embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention, the transmitter and the receiver are arranged at the two opposite ends of an arm. In a first version of this particular embodiment, the means for modifying the orientation of the transmitter relative to that of the receiver may comprise: means for rotating the transmitter relative to the arm about a horizontal axis and / or - means of rotation of the receiver relative to the arm about a horizontal axis.

The arm supporting the transmitter and the repeater may be of fixed size and mounted: - sliding vertically on / around the vertical mast, and - rotating relative to the mast about a horizontal axis.

In a second version of this particular embodiment, the arm may consist of two parts, one supporting the transmitter and the other supporting the receiver, at least one of the two parts, preferably both parts, being rotatably mounted. around a horizontal axis.

Advantageously, the vertical mast can be rotatably mounted about a vertical axis and of fixed size.

Furthermore, the arm supporting the transmitter and the receiver may have a shape for passing between the transmitter and the receiver a table or any other object supporting a patient, such as for example a bed or an operating table or table. intervention, or part of the body of a subject.

In other words, the arm may have a shape away from the center of the arm of the beam emission axis. Such a shape can be a "C" shape or the like. The distance between the receiver and the transmitter is for example 775mm. Advantageously, the receiver may comprise a removable sensor. Such a feature makes the device even more shock-proof as it allows the sensor to be removed when the device is moving. Such a feature makes the imaging apparatus more versatile because it allows the operator to be given the choice in terms of sensors and to use the sensor that is better suited to the imaging that the operator wishes to achieve.

Other advantages and characteristics will appear on examining the detailed description of a non-limiting embodiment, and the appended drawings in which: FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic representations of a first embodiment of FIG. an apparatus according to the invention in which the receiver is in the unfolded position; FIG. 3 is a representation of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with the sensor in the folded or retracted position; FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in which the arm supporting the transmitter and the receiver is in a horizontal position; and - Figures 5 and 6 are schematic representations of a second embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

In the figures and in the following description, the elements common to several figures retain the same reference.

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a mobile imaging apparatus according to the invention. Figure 2 is a more detailed representation of a portion of this apparatus. The apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a transmitter 102 and a receiver 104 disposed at two ends of an arm 106. The arm 106 is mounted on a bracket 108 or a vertical mast which is supported by the body 110 of the The receiver 104 includes a removable sensor 112 which images an area of a body of a subject disposed between the transmitter 102 and the receiver 104. In fact, the transmitter 102 is arranged to emit a ray beam towards the receiver along an axis 114. Thus, an object located between the transmitter 102 and the receiver 104 on this axis 114 can be imaged by the imaging apparatus 100. arm 106 is substantially in the shape of a "C", which has the consequence that the transmitter 102 and the receiver 104 are remote from the center of the arm 106 so that a table or a bed can be arranged between the transmitter 102 and the receiver 104.

According to the invention, the imaging apparatus 100 includes rotation means 104 for moving the receiver between an unfolded position and a retracted position. These means of rotation comprise a hinge 116. The hinge 116 allows a rotation of the receiver 102 about an axis 118 perpendicular to the ray emission axis 114. In the unfolded position the receiver 104 is in a plane perpendicular to the ray emission axis 114 and in the retracted position the receiver 104 is in a plane parallel to the ray emission axis 114. In the retracted position the receiver is folded towards the body 110 of the imaging apparatus. Furthermore, the receiver 104 has a surface 120 composed of a material transparent to the waves emitted by the transmitter 102. This surface 120 is generally made of carbon fiber or a material transparent to the waves. In unfolded position this surface 120 faces the waves emitted by the transmitter 102 and in the unfolded position the surface 120 faces the body 110 of the apparatus 100. When the arm 106 is in a vertical position, that is to say that the The wave emitting axis 114 is a vertical axis, while the emitter 104 is horizontally disposed in the unfolded position and vertically in the retracted position. Thus, in the retracted position, the receiver 104 and the sensor 112 in the receiver 104 are less exposed and better protected from shocks with walls or external elements. Such protection makes it possible to preserve the transmitter 104 and the sensor 112 during the movements of the mobile device 100 from one point to another.

Figure 3 is a schematic representation of the apparatus 100 with the receiver 104 in the retracted position.

The apparatus 100 also comprises means (not shown) for locking or locking the receiver 104 in the unfolded and retracted position, and possibly in one or more intermediate positions between the unfolded position and the retracted position.

The apparatus 100 also comprises means 302 for rotating the arm 106 about a horizontal axis 304 passing through the bracket 108 as well as translation means 306 allowing the arm 106 to slide on / along the bracket 108. The means rotation can be motorized, and thus allow the rotation of the arm 106 fully automatically and with little physical effort. These means of rotation may comprise bearings or rotary bearings. The translation means 306 of the arm along / on the bracket 108 may comprise a worm cooperating with a carriage guided by means of a nut.

Furthermore, the bracket 108 may also be rotatably mounted about a vertical axis 308. The rotation means of the bracket around the vertical axis 308 may comprise a turntable, a detent disc, a rotation ring and a hub welded to a frame or to the body 110 of the apparatus 100. The means of rotation of the bracket 108 around the vertical axis 308 can be motorized, and thus allow the rotation of the bracket 108 completely automatically and with little physical effort.

In this way the apparatus 100 according to the invention can be provided with a freedom in rotation of the bracket 108 around a vertical axis 308 and the arm 106 about a horizontal axis 304, the arm 106 can also slide Along the stem 108. This combination of rotations allows the transmitter assembly 102 and receiver 104 to be positioned in a very large region composed of a multitude of positions allowing, for example, to take a medical image a joint and / or end of the body of a subject.

Figures 1-3 show the apparatus 100 with the arm 106 in a vertical position while Figure 4 shows the apparatus 100 with the arm 106 in a horizontal position.

Figures 5 and 6 are schematic representations of a second embodiment of a device 500 according to the invention. The apparatus 500 includes all the elements of the apparatus 100 of Figs. 1-4. The apparatus 500 further comprises means for changing the orientation of the transmitter and the orientation of the receiver relative to each other. The apparatus 500 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 comprises a circular arc guide rail 502 disposed on the arm 106 on the end opposite the receiver 104 in a plane parallel to the axis 114 of FIG. emission of rays. The transmitter 102 is slidably mounted on this rail 502 in the shape of a circular arc. Thus, the transmitter 104 can slide on at least a portion of this rail 502 on one side and / or the other so that the ray emission axis 114 is no longer perpendicular to the receiver, more particularly at the surface 120 of the receiver 104, and has an angle other than 90 °. Thus, Figure 5 shows the apparatus 500 with the receiver 102 disposed on one side of an axis perpendicular to the surface 120 of the receiver and Figure 6 shows the apparatus 100 with the receiver 102 disposed on the other side. such an axis.

Furthermore, the apparatus 500 further comprises means (not shown) for locking or locking the transmitter 102 in one or more positions in a predetermined pitch or angle on the rail 502. These means may for example comprise clamping means . Such a sliding movement of the transmitter 102 can be likened to a rotational movement about a horizontal axis passing through the center of the circle corresponding to the arcuate shape of the rail 502. In a similar manner the apparatus 500 may comprise means for changing the orientation of the receiver 104.

The apparatuses 100 and 500 furthermore comprise a display screen for the medical images taken and for monitoring the operations performed, a keyboard for entering information relating to the patient and the medical images taken as well as for controlling the operations performed. Imaging apparatuses 100 and 500 further include wheels 15 for moving them from one point to another.

Naturally, the invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described.

Claims (10)

REVENDICATIONS1. A mobile medical imaging apparatus (100,500) comprising a ray transmitter (102) and a ray receiver (104), characterized by comprising means (116) for moving said receiver (104) between an unfolded position and a retracted position. 2. Apparatus (100,500) according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for moving said emitter between an unfolded position and a retracted position comprise means (116) for rotating said emitter about a first axis of rotation (118). . An apparatus (100,500) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for moving the receiver (104) between an unfolded position and a retracted position comprises means for positioning said receiver (104) at least one position between said retracted position and said unfolded position. Apparatus (500) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises means (502) for modifying the orientation of the transmitter (102) with respect to the orientation of the receiver ( 104) and / or vice versa. 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the means for modifying the orientation of the transmitter (102) relative to that of the receiver (104) comprises means (502) for rotating the transmitter (102). relative to the receiver (104) about a horizontal axis. Apparatus according to any one of claims 4 or 5, characterized in that the means for changing the orientation of the transmitter (102) relative to that of the receiver (104) comprises means for rotating the receiver (104). ) relative to the transmitter (102) about a horizontal axis.-12- 7. Apparatus (100,500) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitter (102) and the receiver (104) are arranged at two opposite ends of an arm (106). 8. Apparatus according to claims 4 and 7, characterized in that the means for changing the orientation of the transmitter (102) relative to that of the receiver (104) comprise: - means (502) of rotation of the emitter (102) relative to the arm (106) about a horizontal axis, and / or - means for rotating the receiver (104) relative to the arm (106) about a horizontal axis. 9. Apparatus (100,500) according to any one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the arm (106) is of fixed size and mounted: - sliding vertically on / around a mast (108) of fixed size, and - rotating relative to the mast (108) about a horizontal axis (304). 10. Apparatus (100,500) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiver (104) comprises a removable sensor (112).