Neck bending apparatus

Abstract

A neck bending apparatus is utilized in association with a coil device of a magnetic resonance imaging system for imaging a forwardly or rearwardly bent condition of the neck portion of the patient. The apparatus includes a plurality of air cushions having variable inner volumes and an air regulator connected to the cushions for regulating the inner volume of each of the cushions in accordance with a degree of bending of the neck portion of the patient. Two cushions are utilized for imaging the neck portion of the patient for resting the head and neck portions and these cushions are connected through a connecting member. The air regulator includes a hand-grip air pump for feeding air into and out of the air cushions, a tube connecting the pump and the cushions and a valve unit connected to the tube for regulating the amount of air fed into and out of the air cushions. In association with the apparatus, the magnetic resonance imaging system is utilized, which includes a coil device including a rest portion on which a subject portion of the patient is rested, a coil unit having substantially an elliptical shape, a coil support portion which is detachably secured to the rest portion and in which the coil unit is disposed and an attachment portion attached to a top board on which the patient is laid.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.