JP5552684B2 - Protective device for X-ray CT system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a protective device for protecting radiation scattered outside from an opening of a gantry in a medical X-ray CT apparatus.

  An X-ray CT apparatus is arranged with an X-ray tube and an X-ray detector facing each other about the body axis of a subject lying on a bed, and X-rays are emitted from the X-ray tube while rotating both in the circumferential direction. It is an apparatus that obtains a desired cross-sectional image by image processing by a computer by detecting X-rays that are radiated and transmitted through a human body with a plurality of X-ray detectors arranged in the circumferential direction. This type of X-ray CT apparatus can display images in real time almost simultaneously with scanning by increasing the image processing speed.

  Conventionally, as a means for obtaining a tomographic image of an affected area, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has been used in many cases. However, in a place where bones or bubbles are present, ultrasonic waves are reflected by these layers, so that the tissue is accurately observed. There was a drawback that it was not possible. On the other hand, the X-ray CT apparatus can display an image in real time almost simultaneously with the scan by increasing the image processing speed, and can accurately hide the tissue hidden in the place where there are bubbles and bones. Since it can be observed, techniques such as puncture biopsy, cauterization, and drainage have come to be used.

  On the other hand, there is a risk of exposure to radiation as the X-ray CT apparatus. In particular, since an operator who performs puncture or the like must frequently enter a position where X-rays are scattered, consideration for protection is extremely important. For this reason, various protective means for X-ray CT apparatuses have been conventionally devised. For example, protective screens, protective clothing, protective gloves, etc. using lead-containing glass, lead-containing resin, lead-containing cloth, etc. having a function of blocking radiation have been put into practical use.

  When performing puncture or the like by X-ray CT fluoroscopy, the holder holding the puncture needle must be manually operated and operated, so the operator needs to perform an operation as close to the opening of the gantry as possible. In this case, even if the surgeon is protecting with gloves or the like, there is a risk of being exposed to X-rays emitted from the gantry opening.

  Conventionally, as a means for preventing exposure due to X-ray scattering from the gantry opening, a protection plate P as shown in FIG. 9 is supported by an arm A so as to be movable three-dimensionally. When the gantry is self-propelled, the arm A that supports the protective plate is attached to a rail provided on the ceiling, and can move in the front-rear direction of the gantry. In the case of the table slide type, such movement of the arm itself in the front-rear direction is not necessary. In addition, this guard plate P is notched in a bay shape, and the operator inserts the arm into the gantry opening in a state where this part is held along the gantry opening. .

  However, since the protective plate P is a rectangular flat plate as a whole except for the notch, it cannot interfere with the surface of the gantry and cannot be brought close to the inside of the opening. Since the distance to the puncture needle could not be shortened, it was difficult to operate the puncture needle. In addition, there is a problem that X-rays leak out from a gap other than the notch.

  Examples of the X-ray CT apparatus include those described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below, and a holder for holding the puncture needle is described in Patent Document 3.

JP 2000-325336 A

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-33525

JP-A-9-140716

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a protection device that allows an operator to approach the puncture site in the gantry more effectively and can effectively protect the patient in surgery such as puncture by X-ray CT fluoroscopy. It is said.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following configuration. That is, the protective device for an X-ray CT apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention includes an upwardly convex arc-shaped protective frame that fits into an upper portion of an opening provided in the gantry of the X-ray CT apparatus, Support means capable of supporting the protective frame by being applied to the gantry opening, and a flexible protective sheet covering the opening of the gantry is suspended inside the arcuate protective frame, The sheet is characterized by a cut or a hole into which a person's arm can be inserted from the front side to the back side.

The protective device for an X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 2 is the protective device according to claim 1, wherein the protective frame is partially fitted into the gantry opening at the back side in the thickness direction. The side portion is formed so as not to be fitted into the opening. Further, the X-ray CT apparatus protective apparatus according to claim 3 is the protective apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the arc-shaped outer periphery of the protective frame is substantially free from the inner periphery of the gantry opening ( (Some gaps may be present).

Next, X-ray CT apparatus for protecting device according to claim 4 is the X-ray CT apparatus for protecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the supporting means, triaxial protective frame It is a multi-joint arm (which has a plurality of joints) that is movably supported in a direction. Further, protective device for X-ray CT apparatus Ki支to claim 5 is the X-ray CT apparatus for protecting apparatus according to claim 4, the base of the articulated arm with the support means, the side of the gantry It is attached to the support | pillar which is provided in a part and moves integrally with a gantry .

Furthermore, the X-ray CT apparatus for protecting device according to claim 6, an X-ray CT apparatus for protecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, protection sheet, the lower end portion of the frame It hangs down to the bottom.

  The protective device for an X-ray CT apparatus according to the present invention includes an upward arc-shaped protective frame along the upper peripheral edge of the opening provided in the gantry of the X-ray CT apparatus. Is covered with a protective sheet, and is supported by the support means in a state of being applied to the opening of the gantry, so that scattering of X-rays from the opening of the gantry can be effectively suppressed. .

  In addition, as described in claim 2 or 3, the protective frame is partially or wholly fitted in the opening of the gantry, and the gantry opening is formed by a flexible protective sheet in this fitted state. Since this protective sheet is provided with a cut, the operator can insert the arm into the gantry opening from here, so that the body can be brought close to the gantry without fear of exposure, Can be inserted deeper into the gantry. As a result, the operator can operate the instrument such as a puncture needle more accurately and easily. Even if some radiation leaks from the gap, the surgeon is on the side of the gap, so there is little risk of exposure.

  According to the protection device of the fourth aspect, since the frame is supported by the multi-joint arm which can be moved three-dimensionally, the frame can be arranged at an optimum position, and effective protection can be performed. . Further, as described in claim 5, if this multi-joint arm is attached to a column that moves integrally with the gantry, the protective frame is integrated with the gantry without providing a special rail on the ceiling or the like. Can be supported movably, and is structurally simple.

  Furthermore, as described in claim 6, it is preferable that the protective sheet is suspended below the lower end portion of the protective frame because radiation leaking from the gap between the frame and the bed can be effectively blocked.

It is a front view showing embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the principal part, (a) is an example in which concave roundness is given to the outer peripheral part, (b) is an example in which the outer peripheral part is an inclined surface, (c) is the entire protective frame Each represents an example along the gantry. It is a perspective view showing the state at the time of use. It is sectional drawing of the principal part. It is a front view showing usage. FIG. It is the front view (a) and sectional drawing (b) showing different embodiment. It is the side view (a) and front view (b) of an X-ray CT apparatus. It is an external view of the conventional protective device.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described. The present invention is a protective device used as an accessory of an X-ray CT apparatus. FIG. 8 shows an outline of a known X-ray CT apparatus. This X-ray CT apparatus includes a gantry 1 and a bed 2. The bed 2 can be adjusted in height, and a top plate 3 that can be moved back and forth is provided on the upper surface. A subject can be placed on the top plate 3 and fed into the opening 5 of the gantry 1.

  The gantry 1 is provided with a cylindrical opening 5 in which an X-ray tube 6 that emits an X-ray beam and a detector 7 having an X-ray detection element are connected to the body axis of the subject M. Oppositely arranged so as to sandwich. The X-ray tube 6 and the detector are attached so as to face a rotating frame (not shown), and X-ray emission and detection are performed while rotating at a predetermined speed by a control device. An image is displayed on the attached display. The rotation frame to which the X-ray tube 6 and the detector 7 are attached can be tilted in the direction of arrow Z in FIG.

  1 and 2 show a protective device according to the present invention. The protective device 10 includes a protective frame 11, a protective sheet 12, and a support means 13.

  The protective frame 11 is made of a material having a function of blocking radiation, for example, a material such as lead-containing resin (acrylic), and has an arcuate shape that protrudes upward along the periphery of the opening 5 of the gantry 1. It is a curved shape, and the width W and the thickness t may be such a size that the necessary strength can be obtained and the area of the opening can be maintained to the extent that there is no problem in work. For example, W may be about 100 to 120 mm, and t may be about 10 to 15 mm. In addition, D of FIG. 1 should just be about 120-130 mm, for example.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cross-sectional shape of the protective frame 11 is such that the diameter on the back side is smaller than the diameter on the front side and is partially fitted into the opening of the gantry. The peripheral edge of the opening of the gantry 1 has a rounded cross-sectional shape so that the diameter on the front side is large and the diameter on the back side gradually decreases, so that the cross-sectional shape of the protective frame 11 is adapted to this, What is necessary is just to set it as the shape where a back side becomes small gradually. In the illustrated example of FIG. 2 (a), a concave shape having a rounded radius R that matches the roundness of the gantry 1 is formed, but an inclined surface C having a linear cross section as shown in FIG. 2 (b) is used. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2 (c), the cross-sectional shape of the entire thin protective frame 11 may be a shape along the opening of the gantry 1.

  The protective sheet 12 is formed of a flexible sheet material having a function of blocking radiation, for example, a lead-containing cloth. The protective sheet 12 is held in a suspended state with its upper end fixed to the protective frame 11, and its lower end is suspended slightly above the lower end of the opening 5 of the gantry 1. The protective sheet 12 has a vertical cut 15 and is divided into four in the illustrated example. Depending on the case, it may be divided into two with only one cut at the center of the left and right.

  As the support means 13 of the protection frame 11, any means can be used as long as the protection frame 11 can be supported along the upper edge of the opening 5 of the gantry 1. In the illustrated example, the support means 13 is an arm having a plurality of joints 14, and the base of the arm 13 is attached to the structure so that the protective frame 11 can be disposed at a desired position together with the protective sheet 12. ing.

  FIG. 3 shows a state in which the protective device 10 is attached to a self-propelled X-ray CT apparatus. In the illustrated self-propelled X-ray CT apparatus, the gantry 1 is attached to the support frame 4 in the direction of arrow Z. The column 8 is supported so as to be tiltable, and a column 8 is erected on its side, and the column 8 and the support frame 4 are connected and integrated by a bottom plate 9. The bottom plate 9 is movable in the arrow Y direction on the rail 9a while supporting the gantry 1 and the support column 8.

  The base portion of the arm 13 that is a support means of the protective device 10 is attached to the shelf plate 8a of the column 8 erected on the side of the gantry 1, and the protective device 10 is brought to a desired position by a plurality of joints 14. It can be supported. In practice, as shown in FIG. 4, the protective frame 11 is supported so as to be partially or entirely fitted into the opening 5 of the gantry 1. In this state, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower end portion of the protection sheet 12 is suspended to the vicinity of the lower end portion of the opening 5. It is convenient if a similar arm for supporting an instrument such as an injector for injecting an iodine contrast medium into the blood vessel is separately provided and attached to the shelf board 8a in the same manner as the arm 13.

When performing an operation such as puncture using this X-ray CT apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the subject M is placed on the top plate 3 of the bed, and the affected area (or examination site) of the subject is examined. ) Is fed into the gantry so that it is located between the X-ray tube and the detector. In this state, the lower part of the protective sheet 12 is partially covered on the subject. Thereafter, the operator scrapes the arm with the holder 22 holding a necessary instrument such as the puncture needle 20 into the opening 5 by scraping the protective sheet 12 of the protective device 10 at the cut 15, and X-rays enter the affected area. Perform necessary surgery while irradiating. At this time, since the affected part of the image is displayed on the supplied display (not shown) in real time, it may be subjected to surgery while watching it.

  During X-ray irradiation, radiation is scattered from the gantry opening 5 to the outside. If the protective device 10 is attached as described above, most of the scattering is prevented. In the illustrated example, the arm 15 is inserted by scraping the cuts 15 of the protective sheet 12. When the arm is inserted, the arm is inserted slightly below the lower end of the protective sheet 12. However, the exposure of the surgeon standing near the side of the gantry 1 is still greatly suppressed.

  Further, in the illustrated example, since the protective sheet hangs down to a position above the lower edge of the opening 5 (substantially the upper surface position of the bed top 3), when the subject on the bed is sent into the opening 5 Although not disturbing so much, depending on circumstances, it may be just up to the vicinity of the lower end of the protective frame 11, and conversely, it may be suspended to the lower edge of the opening 5.

  Next, FIG. 7 shows an embodiment different from the above. In this embodiment, the protective sheet is not provided with a vertical cut, and a substantially circular hole 18 into which an arm can be inserted is formed by the cut 15. ing. Since it is necessary to insert the puncture needle 20 and an instrument (holder or holder) for holding the puncture needle 20, the hole 18 may be sized so as not to hinder the insertion thereof. The hole 18 is preferably provided with a flip-up type lid 18a as shown in FIG.

As is clear from the above description, the protective device according to the present invention can effectively prevent scattering of X-rays to the outside in the case of puncture using the X-ray CT apparatus. Needless to say, this protective device can be used as a protective device for an X-ray apparatus other than the X-ray CT apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Gantry 2 Bed 3 Top plate 4 Support frame 5 Opening part 6 X-ray tube 7 Detector 8 Support column 8a Shelf 9 Bottom plate 9a Rail 10 Protection device 11 Protection frame 12 Protection sheet 13 Support means (arm)
14 joint 15 cut

Claims (6)

An upwardly convex arcuate protective frame that fits into the upper part of the opening provided in the gantry of the X-ray CT apparatus, and support means that can support the protective frame by applying the protective frame to the gantry opening, A flexible protective sheet that covers the opening of the gantry is suspended inside the arc-shaped protective frame, and the protective sheet has a cut or hole through which a human arm can be inserted from the front side to the back side. A protective device for an X-ray CT apparatus, wherein the protective device is formed. 2. The protective device for an X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a depth side of the protective frame is partially fitted into the gantry opening, and a front portion is not fitted into the opening. The protection device for an X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protection frame is formed so that an arc-shaped outer periphery is fitted to an inner periphery of a gantry opening with almost no gap. 4. The protective device for an X-ray CT apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support means is an articulated arm that supports the protective frame so as to be movable in three axial directions. The base of the articulated arm is a supporting means, X-rays CT device for protection according to claim 4 attached to the column to move a said gantry integral provided on the side of the gantry. The protective device for an X-ray CT apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the protective sheet hangs down below the lower end of the frame.

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