Automatic patient table having means for transporting patient along a table

A patient support system for use with a CT scanner or the like with an image processor, said CT scanner having an intrinsic scanning circle, comprising:

• movable front and rear patient tables;
• means for aligning said tables on either side of said scanning circle with a predetermined gap;
• a removable, thin, low density patient pallet positionable across said front and rear tables through said scanning circle with an intermediate segment of reduced width at the gap between said tables;
• said front table being operatively equipped with a continuous conveyor belt for engaging the underside of said pallet, said patient pallet being adapted to slide on the surface of said rear table;
• a bar located transversely across an end of said table;
• drive means for causing said belt to move said pallet in an axial direction through said scanning circle;
• control means responsive to an idle signal from said image processor for causing said motor to increment the axial position of a patient on said pallet by a predetermined distance and for signaling said image processor to begin the next scan when the position of said patient has been thus incremented;
• and
• failsafe switching means operatively connected with said bar and said control means for disabling the drive means in response to an interaction of the patient and the bar to prevent the drive means from propelling said patient pallet with said patient to a position where said patient is not adequately supported.

A patient support system for use with a CT scanner or the like with an image processor, said CT scanner having an intrinsic scanning circle, comprising:

• at least one patient table alignable with said scanning circle;
• a foot bar located transversely across an end of said table;
• a belt operable in conjunction with the patient table for transporting a patient on the patient table through the scanning circle;
• drive means for causing the conveyor belt to move;
• control means responsive to a signal from the image processor causing the drive means to increment the axial position of the conveyor belt by a predetermined distance and for signaling the image processor to begin the next scan when the position of the patient has been incremented;
• and
• failsafe switching means operatively connected with said foot bar and said control means for disabling said drive means to prevent moving said patient to a position where said patient is not adequately supported.