Patient display system for a medical imaging or radiotherapy apparatus

A method for displaying a visual image to a patient during a diagnostic imaging scanning procedure with a medical imaging apparatus, comprising:

• generating a diagnostic imaging field, with an electromagnetic radiation source and at least one radiation detector, which together generate an imaging line of detector response therebetween, in a gantry of a medical imaging apparatus;
• selectively translating at a first velocity, a patient on a patient table through the diagnostic imaging field generated within the gantry, so that the apparatus acquires patient image data in the imaging line of response;
• projecting a visual image on a surface above the patient table in a location that is visible to a patient lying on a patient table, with a translatable visual image projector that is located outside the imaging line of detector response when the apparatus is acquiring image, without any optical devices intermediate the projector and the surface that intentionally distort or redirect the projected visual image;
• and
• translating the projector in tandem with the patient table, so that the projected visual image translates in tandem at the first velocity and appears motionless relative to the patient table;
• and
• the entire projector always remaining outside the imaging line of detector response in the imaging field where the apparatus is acquiring patient image data.

A patient display system for a dual modality, PET/CT medical imaging apparatus, comprising:

• a gantry including:
• an extended field-of-view imaging tunnel, having an axial length greater than one meter,
• a PET diagnostic imaging system, having a first electromagnetic radiation source and a plurality of rows and columns of first radiation detectors circumscribing the patient tunnel, which together generate a PET diagnostic imaging field, each respective first detector emitting electrons in response to incident electromagnetic radiation from the first radiation source and establishing a respective first imaging line of detector response therebetween;
• and
• a CT diagnostic imaging system, axially adjacent the PET system, the CT system having a second electromagnetic radiation source and a plurality of rows and columns of second radiation detectors circumscribing the patient tunnel, which together generate a CT diagnostic imaging field, each respective second detector emitting electrons in response to incident electromagnetic radiation from the second radiation source and establishing a respective second imaging line of detector response therebetween;
• a patient table selectively translatable, at a first velocity, through the imaging tunnel, in either of the PET or CT diagnostic imaging fields;
• a translatable visual image projector, accessing a visual image, for projecting the visual image on a wall of the imaging tunnel in a location that is visible to a patient lying on the patient table, without any optical devices intermediate the projector and the wall that intentionally distort or redirect the projected visual image;
• the projector translating in tandem with the patient table, so that the projected image translates in tandem at the first velocity, and appears motionless relative to the patient table;
• and
• the entire projector always remaining outside the respective imaging line of detector response of one of the respective imaging fields where the apparatus is acquiring patient image data.

A patient display system for a medical imaging and a radiotherapy apparatus, comprising:

• a gantry having an imaging system including therein an electromagnetic radiation source and at least one radiation detector, which together generate a diagnostic imaging field including an imaging line of detector response therebetween and a radiation therapy system generating a therapy beam-zone;
• a patient table in the diagnostic imaging field or the therapy beam zone of the gantry;
• a visual image projector, accessing a visual image, for projecting the visual image directly above the patient table in a location that is visible to a patient lying on a patient table, without any optical devices intermediate the projector and the wall that intentionally distort or redirect the projected visual image;
• the entire projector always remaining outside the imaging line of detector response in the imaging field where the apparatus is acquiring patient image data or outside the radiation therapy beam zone during beam generation.

A patient display system for a medical imaging and a radiotherapy apparatus, comprising:

• a gantry, having an imaging system including therein an electromagnetic radiation source and at least one radiation detector, which together generate a diagnostic imaging field including an imaging line of detector response therebetween and a radiation therapy system generating a therapy beam-zone;
• a patient table selectively translatable through the diagnostic imaging field and the therapy beam zone of the gantry at a first velocity;
• a translatable visual image projector, accessing a visual image, for projecting the visual image on a surface above the patient table in a location that is visible to a patient lying on a patient table, without any optical devices intermediate the projector and the wall that intentionally distort or redirect the projected visual image;
• the projector translating in tandem with the patient table, so that the projected visual image translates in tandem at the first velocity, and appears motionless relative to the patient table;
• and
• the entire projector always remaining outside the imaging line of detector response in the imaging field where the apparatus is acquiring patient image data or outside the therapy beam zone of the gantry during beam generation.