Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Joseph J Stefan

Paul M Hug

Michael J Petrillo

Mahmoud Janbakhsh

John Vesel

Rizwan Syed Hassan

Ian Farmer

Marc A Huber

When performing nuclear (e.g., SPECT or PET) and CT scans on a patient, a volume cone-beam CT scan is performed using a cone-beam CT X-ray source () and an offset flat panel X-ray detector (). A field of view of the X-ray source overlaps a field of view of two nuclear detector heads (), and the offset of the X-ray detector () minimizes interference with nuclear detector head movement about a rotatable gantry (). Additionally, a locking mechanism () provides automatically locking of the X-ray detector () in each of a stowed and operation position, improving safety and CT image quality.

Nuclear medicine SPECT-CT machine with integrated asymmetric flat panel cone-beam CT and SPECT system

When locking a medical imaging device detector in position to generate a medical image, an articulating arm includes top and bottom portions, coupled to a gantry and to a distal portion that is coupled to a detector. The top and bottom portions each include an over-the-center bell crank locking mechanism with a shank couple to a central handle. Each shank includes a pair of flanges that are coupled to a pair of actuators by both a pivot pin and a spring mechanism. Each actuator is coupled to a crank. When the handle is rotated to a locked position, a sliding lock extends to lock the articulating arm in position relative to the gantry, and a lever arm is extended to cause a shaft to rotate. Rotation of the shaft actuates a sliding pin linkage, which urges a pair of pins outward to lock the articulating arm in position relative to the detector.

Positive spring force actuator

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Joseph J Stefan