Transformable imaging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9855015-B2
Application number	US-201615065002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2016
Priority date	Mar 9, 2016
Publication date	Jan 2, 2018
Grant date	Jan 2, 2018

Abstract

A transformable imaging system configured to operate in at least two configurations. A first configuration may be open and a second configuration may be closed. The closed configuration may allow for imaging in along an arc greater than 180 degrees.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging system configured to be positioned relative to a subject to acquire image data of the subject, comprising:
a gantry having at least a first fixed dimension segment and a second telescoping segment, wherein the second telescoping segment is configured to move relative to the first fixed dimension segment to change a dimension of the gantry; and
a cart configured to carry the gantry and to which the first fixed dimension segment is fixed;
wherein the second telescoping segment includes an outer wall with a configuration to taper from a wide dimension to a narrow dimension, wherein a portion of the outer wall with a wide dimension remains within the first fixed dimension segment.

2. The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of telescoping segments;
wherein each telescoping segment of the plurality of telescoping segments are configured to collapse within an adjacent telescoping segment.

3. The imaging system of claim 2 , wherein each of the telescoping segments includes an exterior wall that tapers from a first end to a second end and engages an adjacent telescoping segment to fix each of the telescoping segments to an adjacent telescoping segment.

4. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the first fixed dimension segment has a first open end and a second open end;
wherein the second telescoping segment extends from the first open end.

5. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the first fixed dimension segment has a first open end and a second open end;
wherein the second telescoping segment extends from the second open end.

6. The imaging system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a track extending within the gantry having a first track segment and a second track segment;
wherein the first track segment is fixed within the first fixed dimension segment;
wherein the second track segment is moveable with the second telescoping segment.

7. The imaging system of claim 6 , wherein the second track segment is held with a linkage to extend the second track segment to align with the first track segment when the second telescoping segment is extended from the first fixed dimension segment.

8. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the gantry is configured to change configuration from a first “C”-shape to a second “C”-shape;
wherein the first “C”-shape includes an arc length that is less than a second arc length of the second “C”-shape.

9. The imaging system of claim 8 , wherein the gantry is configured to change configuration from the first “C”-shape or the second “C”-shape to a third “O”-shape.

10. The imaging system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a detector configured to detect an energy to generate image data;
wherein the detector is configured to move within the gantry to a selected location relative to an end of the first fixed dimension segment.

11. An imaging system configured to be positioned relative to a subject to acquire image data of the subject, comprising:
a detector configured to detect an energy to generate image data;
a gantry having:
at least a fixed dimension segment with at least a first open end, and
a telescoping segment configured to move relative to the first fixed dimension segment to change a dimension of the gantry by extending from the first open end; and

a base configured to carry the gantry and to which the first fixed dimension segment is fixedly held;
wherein the telescoping segment includes an outer wall with a configuration to taper from a wide dimension to a narrow dimension, wherein a portion of the outer wall with a wide dimension remains within the fixed dimension segment;
wherein the detector is configured to move within the gantry around a center of the gantry.

12. The imaging system of claim 11 , wherein the telescoping segment includes a plurality of telescoping segments;
wherein each telescoping segments of the plurality of telescoping segments are configured to collapse within an adjacent telescoping segment.

13. The imaging system of claim 12 , wherein each of the telescoping segments includes the outer wall with the taper from the wide dimension to the narrow dimension, wherein the portion of the outer wall with the wide dimension remains within an adjacent one telescoping segment of the plurality of telescoping segments.

14. The imaging system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a track within the gantry.

15. The imaging system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a rotor;
wherein the rotor rides on the track within the gantry and the detector is mounted to the rotor.

16. The imaging system of claim 15 , wherein the track includes a first fixed track segment fixed to the fixed dimension segment and a plurality of second track segments moveably connected to each telescoping segment of the plurality of telescoping segments.

17. The imaging system of claim 16 , further comprising:
a linkage moveably connecting each second track segment of the plurality of second track segments to each telescoping segment of the plurality of telescoping segments.

18. An imaging system configured to be positioned relative to a subject to acquire image data of the subject, comprising:
a detector configured to detect an energy to generate image data;
a gantry having:
at least a fixed dimension segment having a first dimension, and
a telescoping segment configured to move relative to the first fixed dimension segment to alter the first dimension to a second dimension; and

a base configured to carry the gantry and to which the first fixed dimension segment is fixedly held, wherein the base includes a wheel supported on a surface;
wherein the telescoping segment includes an outer wall with a configuration to taper from a wide dimension to a narrow dimension, wherein a portion of the outer wall with a wide dimension remains within the fixed dimension segment;
wherein the detector is configured to move within the gantry around a center of the gantry.

19. The imaging system of claim 18 , wherein the first dimension is less than the second dimension;
wherein the first dimension and the second dimension is a height above the surface.

20. The imaging system of claim 19 , wherein the first dimension is five feet.

Assignees

• Medtronic Navigation Inc

Inventors

• Risher-Kelly Clifford M
• Elghazzawi Ziad F
• Garlow David A

Classifications

• A61B6/4435 Primary

  the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure · CPC title

• A61B6/032 Primary

  Transmission computed tomography [CT] · CPC title

• A61B6/4447

  Tiltable gantries · CPC title

• A61B6/467

  characterised by special input means · CPC title

• A61B6/035

  Mechanical aspects of CT · CPC title