General Electric Company

Robert J Dobberstein

Joseph J Grass

Thomas J Sierocuk

Mark E Riehl

A patient transfer cradle is made up of a flexible mounting plate which allows cradle wheels mounted to the underside of the plate to maintain contact with the rolling surface, whether it is level or not. A plurality of support rib members are disposed along the length of the mounting plate transversely relative to the long dimension of the plate. The ribs, which are secured to the upper surface of the mounting plate, are slidably engaged by a pair of elongated members which are coextensive with and disposed on either side of the plate. In this manner, the support ribs are capable of longitudinal movement relative to the elongated members permitting the cradle to flex without resistance from the elongated members.

Flexible patient transfer cradle

A patient alignment system utilizes stationary and mobile light fan beams for precisely positioning a patient for performing NMR studies. One assembly of preferably laser light sources is utilized to create a visible reference point for aligning a patient anatomical reference in the staged scan position. The reference position is then used as a reference to locate the scan volume and to automatically translate the patient so that the scan volume is in the optimum homogeneous region of the polarizing magnetic field. Two laser assemblies, each separately operable to provide a vertically movable laser fan beam, are used to locate a vertical reference point. The vertical reference point is used to retrospectively reconstruct images centered in the field of view. The vertical reference point is used to obtain prospectively image data to reconstruct magnified zoom or unmagnified images offset from the isocenter.

Patient alignment system for NMR studies

Collimator for regulating the shape and size of the pattern of radiation projected on a radiation detector from a radiation source, particularly for regulating the beam of radiation in a medical diagnostic x-ray machine. One or more (preferably three) longitudinally stacked plates are provided, the top plate having a large aperture, the middle plate having a medium sized aperture, and the lower plate having a small aperture. The middle and lower plates are provided with means to substantially open up their apertures, rendering these plates inactive when they are not in use. Each plate is longitudinally movable between first and second extremities of travel, the first extremity being nearest the radiation source. When each plate is at its first extremity of travel the beam of radiation has its maximum size. The size is first reduced by advancing the first plate longitudinally to its second extremity of travel, then by placing the second in its active position in the beam and advancing it to its second extremity of travel, and finally by placing the third plate in its active position in the beam and advancing the third plate to its second extremity of travel. A drive means and associated structure is also disclosed for placing the plates in their active positions and advancing the three plates. The present invention allows continuous variation of the size of the x-ray beam projected on the detector over a wide range, while at the same time providing a collimator which is longitudinally compact. The collimator can be provided with apertures of any shape, allowing projection of an irregularly shaped pattern which is continuously variable in size.

Growing community of inventors

West Allis, WI, United States of America

Robert J Dobberstein