The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 02, 1991
Filed:
Mar. 10, 1989
Richard C Lanza, Brookline, MA (US);
Joseph R Votano, Tewksbury, MA (US);
Expert Image Systems, Inc., Somerville, MA (US);
Abstract
Devices and apparatus for limb positioning and instrument calibration are disclosed for use in radiographic imaging systems. In one aspect of the invention, a limb positioning device is disclosed, including a support surface for placement of a limb (e.g., typically a wrist) thereon, a pair of side blocks, at least one of which is moveable to accommodate placement of the limb therebetween, a biasing mechanism for urging the blocks together, and a clamping mechanism for immobilizing the limb between the side blocks and upon the support surface. In another aspect of the invention, a calibration apparatus is disclosed, including a positioning means for positioning a limb between a radiation source and a detector, and at least two blocks of material having different radiation absorptive properties, each block being disposed adjacent to the limb and also between the radiation source and the detector, such that differences in the intensity of radiation transmitted through materials can be sensed in the detector and used to calibrate the images of the limb during operation. In one embodiment, the two dissimilar materials further include a bone equivalent material and a tissue equivalent material.