Pediatric support system and method for medical imaging

A method for utilizing a pediatric patient support system, comprising:

• coupling a support extension to an end of a cradle of a table, wherein the support extension comprises a pair of radial supports extending in a radial direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the cradle;
• directly coupling a respective rod at a location above the cradle to a respective upper end of each radial support of the pair of radial supports so that each respective rod extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• coupling a patient support to each respective rod so that the patient support is disposed between the respective rods, the patient support being configured to support a pediatric patient, wherein the patient support is configured to move axially relative to the longitudinal axis to move the pediatric patient in and out of a central bore of a medical imaging system, and the patient support is suspended from the respective rods.

A pediatric patient support system comprising:

• a support extension configured to be removably coupled to an end of a cradle of a table via a protrusion of the support extension being inserted within a slot in the end of the cradle, wherein the support extension comprises a pair of radial supports extending above the cradle in a radial direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the cradle;
• a pair of rods configured to partially extend into a central bore of a medical imaging system when the pediatric patient support system is coupled to the cradle, wherein each rod of the pair of rods at a location above the cradle extends through a respective upper end of a respective radial support of the pair of radial supports and extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a patient support disposed between and coupled to the pair of rods, the patient support being configured to support a pediatric patient, wherein the patient support is configured to move axially relative to the longitudinal axis along the pair of rods to move the pediatric patient in and out of the central bore, and the patient support is suspended from the respective rods;
• wherein the support extension, the pair of rods, and the patient support are configured to be solely supported by the cradle of the table.