JP6675221B2 - Medical image diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

  Embodiments of the present invention relate to a medical image diagnostic apparatus.

  The heat generated by the components housed inside the gantry of the medical image diagnostic apparatus may accumulate inside the gantry and adversely affect the components housed inside the gantry. As a method of removing the heat generated inside the gantry, a method using a cooler, a method of exhausting the air inside the gantry to the outside, and the like can be considered.

  As a method of exhausting the air inside the gantry to the outside, for example, a method in which a fan is provided on the gantry cover and the air inside the gantry is exhausted to the outside of the gantry by the fan can be considered. However, if an attempt is made to improve the exhaust performance by this method, a large fan or a large number of fans must be used, and a great deal of noise and vibration will be generated.

  In a medical image diagnostic apparatus in which a rotating body is provided inside a gantry, such as an X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus, fins are provided on the rotating body as another method of exhausting air inside the gantry to the outside. A method is conceivable. In this case, when the fin rotates together with the rotating body, an air current is generated by the air pushed by the fin. If an exhaust port is provided in the gantry cover, the air inside the gantry can be exhausted from the exhaust port to the outside of the gantry using the airflow generated by the fins.

  On the other hand, medical image diagnostic apparatuses in which a rotating body is provided inside a gantry have recently been developed with the aim of reducing the size of the gantry and increasing the rotation speed of the rotating body. However, in order to generate an airflow by the fins rotating together with the rotating body, it is necessary to secure the height of the fins. For this reason, the method of providing the fins on the rotating body increases the size of the device. In addition, the fins provided on the rotating body cause air resistance that hinders the rotation of the rotating body, which has an adverse effect on increasing the rotation speed of the rotating body.

JP-A-2002-65659

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a medical image diagnostic apparatus capable of efficiently exhausting the air inside the gantry to the outside of the gantry.

  A medical image diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention has a gantry having a cover provided with an opening for inserting a subject, and a pedestal having an inner space formed by the cover, in order to solve the above-described problem. A rotator provided and supported by the gantry and rotating around an opening for inserting the subject, and an airflow generated in the internal space due to the rotation of the rotator moving away from a rotation center of the rotator. And a ridge provided on the inner surface of the cover so as to guide the cover.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration example of an X-ray CT apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an X-ray CT apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a rotating body. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an airflow state of the X-ray CT apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a perspective view of the inner surface of the front rotating cover, and (b) is a front view of the inner surface as viewed from the internal space of the gantry. (A) is a diagram showing a first example of the shape of the ridge, (b) is a diagram showing a second example of the shape of the ridge, (c) is a diagram showing a third example of the shape of the ridge (D) is a diagram showing a fourth example of the shape of the ridge, and (e) is a diagram showing a fifth example of the shape of the ridge. (A) is an explanatory view showing an example of a current plate provided near a fan, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a current plate. (A) is an external view showing an example of the medical image diagnostic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and (b) is an external view showing another example of the medical image diagnostic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  An embodiment of a medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  A medical image diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a rotating body inside a mount such as an X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) apparatus, and moves an airflow generated by rotation of the rotating body away from the center of rotation. Is provided on the inner surface of the fixed portion of the gantry.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration example of the X-ray CT apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, an example in which an X-ray CT apparatus is used as the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the X-ray CT apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The X-ray CT apparatus 10 includes a gantry 11 having an imaging system for collecting X-ray CT image data, and a console 12 for generating an X-ray CT image based on the X-ray CT image data collected by the gantry 11. Have. The console 12 includes an input circuit that outputs an operation input signal corresponding to a user operation, a display that displays various information, and a processor that performs overall control of the gantry 11 and performs image processing.

  The gantry 11 has a cover provided with an opening 20 for inserting a subject. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the gantry 11 includes a front cover 22 including a front rotation cover 21 forming the front side of the opening 20, and a rear rotation cover 23 forming the rear side of the opening 20. It has a rear cover 24 that is opposed to and spaced from the front cover 22, a bore cover 25 that forms a cylindrical cavity of the opening 20, and a side cover 26 that connects the outer peripheries of the front cover 22 and the rear cover 24. . In the following description, an example in which a vertically upward direction is defined as a positive direction in the y direction, and a direction from the back surface to the front surface is defined as a positive direction in the z direction.

  On the inner side surface 21i of the front rotating cover 21, a ridge 31 is provided. Further, a fan 32 for exhausting the air in the internal space of the cover to the outside may be provided at the upper part of the side cover 26. As the fan 32, for example, an electric fan can be used. Although FIG. 2 illustrates an example in which four fans 32 are provided, the number of fans 32 may be one to three or five or more.

  The gantry 11 supports the rotating body 40 rotatably around the opening 20 in an internal space formed by the cover. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the front rotating cover 21 has a size that covers at least a rotation locus of the rotating body 40 (see hatching in FIG. 1) in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis of the rotating body 40.

  The ridge 31 extends at least from an inner peripheral edge position corresponding to the inner peripheral edge 41 of the rotation locus of the rotating body in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis of the rotating body 40 to an outer peripheral edge position corresponding to the outer peripheral edge 42 of the rotating locus. It is extended to cross.

  In the following description, an example is shown in which eight ridges 31 are provided so as to cross from the inner peripheral edge 51 of the inner side surface 21i to the outer peripheral edge 52 of the inner side surface 21i, but the number is not limited to eight. However, the number may be 1-7 or 9 or more. The shape of the ridge 31 may be any shape as long as the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotating body 40 is guided away from the center of rotation. For this reason, when a plurality of ridges 31 are provided, for example, all of the ridges 31 may have the same shape or a similar shape, and a plurality of ridges 31 may have different shapes. It may be. For example, the height of the ridge 31 provided at the position closest to the fan 32 and capable of delivering the air flow almost directly to the fan 32 may be higher than the height of the other ridges 31.

  The protrusion 31 is provided so as to guide the airflow generated in the inner space of the cover by the rotation of the rotating body 40 so as to move away from the rotation center of the rotating body 40. In FIG. 1, the ridges 31 are located at a position closer to the outer peripheral edge 52 of the ridge 31 so as to guide the airflow generated in the internal space along the rotation direction v of the rotator 40 away from the center of rotation of the rotator 40. The example in which the inner peripheral edge 51 of the inner peripheral edge 51 is provided on the inner side surface 21i so as to be located on the near side in the rotation direction v has been described.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the rotating body 40. The rotating body 40 has a bottom surface 43 and a side wall surface 44. Note that, in FIG. 3, the protrusion 31 of the inner side surface 21i is not shown.

  An opening corresponding to the opening 20 is provided at the center of the bottom surface 43 of the rotating body 40 at right angles to the rotation axis. The side wall surface 44 is provided upright along the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface 43. The side wall surface 44 integrally holds an internal device 45 including an imaging system of the X-ray CT apparatus 10, such as an X-ray source, an X-ray detector, and a DAS (Data Acquisition System).

  FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the bore cover 25 is formed of a member 25a having waterproofness and air permeability, and a member 25b having waterproofness and high X-ray transparency.

  The bore cover 25 is preferably formed using a waterproof member such as Mylar (registered trademark) so as to block a contrast agent, blood, oil leaked from the internal device 45, and the like. The bore cover 25 according to the present embodiment is at least partially formed of a waterproof and breathable member 25a such as Gore-Tex (registered trademark). This member 25a is preferably provided at a position that does not affect the X-rays emitted from the X-ray source. Since the internal space of the cover has a negative pressure with respect to the outside air due to the forced exhaust by the fan 32, the air in the opening 20 is drawn into the internal space through the air-permeable member 25a without providing the fan in the member 25a. Is done. As shown in FIG. 4, the air sucked from the member 25 a is guided by the ridge 31 to move away from the center of rotation along with the heat generated by the internal device 45 provided on the side wall surface 44 of the rotating body 40. Then, the air is exhausted to the outside from a fan 32 provided above the cover of the gantry 11.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a state of an airflow of the X-ray CT apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the air taken in from the bore cover 25 rides on the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotating body 40 and rides on the airflow generated by the rotation of the rotating body 40, and The heat is guided along the protruding portion 31 away from the center of rotation along with the heat generated by the internal device 45 provided. The air guided to the gap between the side wall surface 44 of the rotating body 40 and the side cover 26 along the ridge 31 rides on the airflow generated by the rotation of the side wall surface 44 of the rotating body 40, and the rotation of the rotating body 40. Move in the same direction as direction v. The fan 32 exhausts the air flowing in the gap between the side wall surface 44 of the rotating body 40 and the side cover 26 to the outside.

For this reason, heat does not stay in the internal space of the cover including the inside of the rotating body 40, and the heat can be efficiently discharged to the outside.
Next, the shape of the ridge 31 will be described.

  FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the inner side surface 21 i of the front rotating cover 21, and FIG. 6B is a front view of the inner side surface 21 i as viewed from the internal space of the gantry 11.

  As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, in the following description, the rotation direction v is assumed to be the reverse direction of the right-handed screw with respect to the z-axis. When the front rotating cover 21 is projected on the xy plane, the direction perpendicular to the direction r, the direction r and the direction v of rotation and the direction protruding from the inner side surface 21i toward the inner space side in the height direction h are the positive directions. Defined as orientation. The direction from the outer peripheral edge 52 to the inner peripheral edge 51 is defined as a positive direction in the r direction.

  FIGS. 7A to 7E are diagrams for explaining an example of the shape of the ridge portion 31. FIGS. 7A to 7E are diagrams when the v-axis, the r-axis, and the h-axis are orthogonal three axes.

  As described above, the ridge 31 may be provided to guide the airflow generated in the internal space of the cover by the rotation of the rotating body 40 away from the center of rotation of the rotating body 40, for example, the inner peripheral edge of the inner surface 21 i. It is provided so as to cross from 51 to the outer peripheral edge 52 of the inner side surface 21i.

  FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating a first example of the shape of the ridge 31. In the first example, similarly to the examples shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6 (b), the position of the ridge portion 31 in the inner peripheral edge 51 is smaller in the rotation direction v than in the outer peripheral edge 52. This is an example in which the projection line 31 and the inner side surface 21i have a curved line. As described above, the position of the ridge 31 on the inner peripheral edge 51 is closer to the inner circumferential edge 51 than the position of the outer rim 52 on the near side in the rotational direction v. The generated airflow is guided to the outer peripheral edge 52 by the ridge 31 so as to efficiently move away from the rotation center.

  Further, the ridge portion 31 may be provided along the radial direction r as in the second and third examples shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C. At this time, the outer peripheral shape excluding the installation surface of the inner side surface 21i of the vh cross section of the ridge 31 may be a curve as shown in FIG. 7B or a rectangle as shown in FIG. Or other shapes.

  In addition, as in the fourth example shown in FIG. 7D, the angle formed between the side surface of the ridge 31 facing the air flow and the inner surface 21i is less than 90 degrees, so that the efficiency of receiving the air flow is reduced. Can be further improved. Further, as in the fifth example shown in FIG. 7E, the intersection line between the side surface of the ridge 31 facing the airflow and the vh plane moves in the positive direction of the height direction h, and v The efficiency of catching the airflow can be further improved by forming the curve in the negative direction.

  In addition to the examples shown in FIGS. 7A to 7E, the ridges 31 can take various shapes. For example, the height of the ridge 31 may be different between the inner peripheral edge 51 and the outer peripheral edge 52. For example, the ridge 31 may have a lower shape or a higher height from the inner peripheral edge 51 toward the outer peripheral edge 52. It may be shaped.

  FIG. 8A is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of the rectifying plate 61 provided near the fan 32, and FIG. 8B is an explanatory diagram illustrating another example of the rectifying plate 61.

  The air flowing near the fan 32 is the air flowing through the gap between the side wall surface 44 of the rotating body 40 and the side cover 26 (see “inside the cover” in FIGS. 8A and 8B). The air in the gap flows due to the rotation of the side wall surface 44. For this reason, the flow velocity of the air in this gap becomes faster as it is closer to the side wall surface 44 and becomes slower as it is closer to the fan 32. Therefore, in this gap, a negative pressure is generated from the side cover 26 toward the side wall surface 44, and it becomes difficult for the air to reach the fan 32.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8A, a rectifying plate 61 may be provided near the fan 32 so as to guide the airflow passing near the fan 32 to the fan 32 in this gap. By providing the rectifying plate 61, the fan 32 can more efficiently exhaust the inside air to the outside.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8A, by making the shape of the current plate 61 closer to the rotation direction v as the distance from the fan 32 increases, airflow passing near the fan 32 can be reduced. Thereby, it can be efficiently guided to the fan 32. Further, when a plurality of rectifying plates 61 are provided, they may have different shapes from each other (for example, see FIG. 8B).

  According to the X-ray CT apparatus 10 as an example of the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment, the ridge portion 31 causes the airflow generated in the internal space of the cover by the rotation of the rotating body 40 rotating at a high speed to rotate the rotating body 40. The air inside the gantry 11 can be efficiently exhausted to the outside of the gantry 11 by guiding the gantry 11 away from the rotation center. For this reason, according to the X-ray CT apparatus 10, the heat exhaust performance can be improved, and the thermal influence on the internal device 45 can be reduced.

  Further, in the X-ray CT apparatus 10, the number of electric fans can be significantly reduced as compared with the case without the ridge 31, with the improvement of the heat exhaust performance by the ridge 31. For this reason, according to the X-ray CT apparatus 10, it is possible to reduce the noise caused by the electric fan while improving the heat exhaust performance.

  The ridge 31 of the X-ray CT apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment may have any shape as long as it controls the air flow so as to guide the rotating body 40 away from the center of rotation. For this reason, the height of the ridge portion 31 provided on the inner side surface 21i of the front rotating cover 21 which is a part of the fixing portion of the gantry 11 is smaller than the height of the fin when the fin is attached to the rotating body 40. Can be very low. Therefore, the X-ray CT apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment can be easily reduced in size as compared with a case where fins are attached to the rotating body 40.

  Further, when the fins are provided on the rotating body 40, the fins cause air resistance that hinders the rotation of the rotating body 40, whereas the X-ray CT apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment attaches the fins to the rotating body 40. Instead, a ridge 31 for airflow control is provided on the fixed portion. For this reason, the protrusion 31 does not hinder the rotation of the rotating body 40. Therefore, the X-ray CT apparatus 10 including the ridges 31 can easily increase the rotation speed of the rotating body 40.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 9A is an external view illustrating an example of a medical image diagnostic apparatus 10A according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9B is an external view showing another example of the medical image diagnostic apparatus 10A according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  The medical image diagnostic apparatus 10A according to the second embodiment constitutes a composite apparatus with an X-ray CT apparatus such as a PET (Positron Emission Tomography) -CT apparatus and a SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) -CT apparatus. Only the medical image diagnostic apparatus shown in the first embodiment is different.

  As shown in FIG. 9A, the medical image diagnostic apparatus 10A has the gantry 11 of the X-ray CT apparatus 10 shown in the first embodiment and the gantry 71 of the nuclear medicine diagnostic apparatus. The gantry 71 of the nuclear medicine diagnostic apparatus has an opening 80 for inserting a subject. The gantry 71 has an imaging system for collecting nuclear medicine image data.

  Further, the medical image diagnostic apparatus 10A according to the present embodiment further includes a console 12A, a bed 81, a top board 82 on which the subject P is placed, and a top board driving device 83.

  The gantry 11 of the X-ray CT apparatus 10 and the gantry 71 of the nuclear medicine diagnostic apparatus may be provided at positions facing each other with the bed 81 interposed therebetween (see FIG. 9A), or may be arranged on one side of the bed 81. (See FIG. 9B).

  The console 12A includes an input circuit that outputs an operation input signal corresponding to a user operation, a display that displays various information, and a processor that performs overall control of the gantry 11, the gantry 71, and the top plate driving device 83 and performs image processing. Have. For example, the console 12 </ b> A generates an X-ray CT image based on the X-ray CT image data collected by the gantry 11 and generates a nuclear medicine image based on the nuclear medicine image data collected by the gantry 71.

  The top driving device 83 is controlled by the console 12A to move the top 82 up and down along the y-axis, and to move the top 82 to the X-ray irradiation field at the opening 20 and the gamma-ray detection field at the opening 80 along the z-axis. The plate 82 is transferred.

  The same effect as the X-ray CT apparatus 10 as an example of the X medical image diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment can also be obtained by the medical image diagnostic apparatus 10A according to the present embodiment. Further, the medical image diagnostic apparatus 10A including the gantry 71 of the nuclear medicine diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment can easily obtain X-ray projection data and gamma ray projection data for the same site of the same subject P.

  According to at least one embodiment described above, the air inside the gantry 11 can be efficiently exhausted to the outside of the gantry 11.

  Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These new embodiments can be implemented in other various forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and their equivalents.

10. X-ray CT apparatus (medical image diagnostic apparatus)
10A: Composite device (medical image diagnostic device)
11 ... gantry 20 ... opening 21i ... inner surface 22 ... front cover 24 ... back cover 25 ... bore cover 25a ... permeable member 26 ... side cover 31 ... ridge 32 ... fan 40 ... rotating body 41 ... rotating body peripheral edge 42 ... rotation Body outer peripheral edge 43 Rotating body bottom surface 44 Rotating body side wall surface 45 Internal device 51 Inner surface inner peripheral edge 52 Inner surface outer peripheral edge 61 Rectifying plate 71 Nuclear medical diagnostic device gantry 80 Nuclear medical diagnostic device opening 81 81 Bed 82 ... Top v ... Rotation direction

Claims (9)

A gantry having a cover provided with an opening for inserting a subject,
A rotator that is provided in the internal space formed by the cover and is supported by the gantry, and rotates around an opening for inserting the subject,
A ridge provided on the inner surface of the cover, so as to guide the airflow generated in the internal space by the rotation of the rotating body away from the center of rotation of the rotating body,
Bei to give a,
The ridge portion,
At least on the inner peripheral edge of the rotation trajectory of the rotating body in a plane orthogonal to the rotation axis of the rotating body so as to guide the airflow generated in the internal space by the rotation of the rotating body away from the rotation center of the rotating body. Extending so as to traverse from an inner peripheral edge position in the corresponding inner surface of the cover to an outer peripheral edge position in the inner surface of the cover corresponding to the outer peripheral edge of the rotation locus,
Medical diagnostic imaging device. The rotating body is
Rotate in a predetermined rotation direction,
The ridge portion,
The inner peripheral edge position is higher than the outer peripheral edge position so that an airflow generated in the internal space along the predetermined rotation direction by the rotation of the rotary member is guided away from the rotation center of the rotary member. Provided on the inner surface to be located on the near side in the direction,
The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 . A fan that is provided at an upper portion of the gantry and exhausts air in the internal space to the outside of the gantry;
Further medical image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 comprising a. A flow straightening plate provided near the fan so as to guide the airflow passing through the vicinity of the fan out of the airflow generated in the internal space to the fan,
The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising: The cover,
Having a bore cover forming an opening for inserting the subject,
The bore cover,
At least a portion is formed by a member having air permeability, and air in an opening for inserting the subject is sucked into the internal space through the member having air permeability,
The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The cover,
A front cover having an opening provided with the ridge portion, a rear cover having an opening and spaced apart from and facing the front cover, a side cover connecting the outer circumferences of the front cover and the rear cover, and the front cover; And a bore cover connecting the opening of the back cover to form an opening for inserting the subject,
Having,
The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The rotating body is
A bottom surface provided with an opening corresponding to an opening for inserting the subject at the center orthogonal to the rotating body,
A side wall surface that is erected on the bottom surface along the outer peripheral edge of the bottom surface and integrally holds at least a part of internal equipment,
The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , further comprising: The rotating body is
Holding the X-ray imaging system as one,
The X-ray imaging system includes:
Collecting X-ray CT image data,
The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7. An X-ray CT apparatus comprising the gantry according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the rotating body and the ridge, and collecting X-ray CT image data.
A nuclear medicine diagnostic apparatus having an opening different from the X-ray CT apparatus for inserting the subject, and acquiring nuclear medicine image data;
The subject is placed thereon, and the subject is transferred to both the opening of the X-ray CT apparatus for inserting the subject and the opening of the nuclear medicine diagnostic apparatus for inserting the subject. A bed with a possible top plate;
The medical image diagnostic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , further comprising:

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