US 5,642,395 AGranted

Imaging chain with miniaturized C-arm assembly for mobile X-ray imaging system

AssigneeOEC Medical Systems, Inc.

InventorsR. Larry Anderton, Steven E. Curtis, R. Bruce Spratt

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Abstract

A miniaturized C-arm and imaging apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment and the like. An X-ray imaging system is coupled to a C-arm, including an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively on the C-arm. The image receptor includes a vacuum bottle type image intensifier. The image receptor is characterized by an absence of fiber optic device, and the image intensifier is characterized by an absence of micro channels therein. The C-arm is mass balanced about an axis of orbital rotation and is pivotally coupled to an articulating arm assembly supported upon a wheeled support base. The mass balance enables repositioning of the X-ray imaging system between an anterior-posterior view and an orthogonal lateral view with a single, orbital movement of the C-arm which also causes the views to define an imaging isocenter. The C-arm is preferably miniaturized to an approximate outside diameter of twenty-eight inches with a source-to-image distance of approximately fourteen inches.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A miniaturized support arm and imaging apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment, comprising:

a support assembly comprising holding means and an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the holding means such that said X-ray source and image receptor define a source-to-image distance therebetween, and also including a C-arm assembly including a C-arm having a substantially circular movement track formed thereon, wherein the X-ray source and image receptor are mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the C-arm such that said X-ray source and image receptor define a source-to-image distance therebetween, wherein the X-ray source includes means for projecting X-rays having a central beam onto the image receptor;
a support arm disposed in slidable engagement with the circular movement track of the C-arm such that the C-arm assembly is selectively slidable relative to said support arm in orbital rotation about a single axis of orbital rotation, said circular movement track being substantially common to a circle having a center point which coincides with said single axis of orbital rotation such that said single axis of orbital rotation remains substantially fixed relative to the support arm for any position of the C-arm assembly relative to said support arm, and wherein the C-arm assembly and the support arm have a collective center of mass and are collectively mass balanced about the axis of lateral rotation such that said collective center of mass substantially coincides with said axis of lateral rotation for any rotational position of the support am relative to the articulating arm means about said axis of lateral rotation;
articulating arm means pivotally attached to the support assembly such that the support assembly is selectively rotatable relative to said articulating arm means about a lateral axis of rotation, and wherein the articulating arm means is pivotally attached to the support arm such that the support arm is selectively rotatable relative to said articulating arm means about an axis of lateral rotation to selected lateral positions;
and
mobile base support means pivotally attached to the articulating arm means for supporting the support assembly in a suspended position, said mobile base support means being moveable along a floor;
wherein the image receptor comprises:
an input means having an input area for receiving X-rays and producing electrons from said X-rays;
output means having an output area for receiving the electrons and producing light therefrom;
and
image intensification means for accelerating the electrons from the input means to the output means while maintaining said electrons under vacuum so as to produce an optical image from said electrons, said image intensification means including a vacuum bottle and focusing electrodes coupled to said vacuum bottle.

7 more elements

A miniaturized support arm and imaging apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment, comprising:

a support assembly comprising holding means and an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the holding means such that said X-ray source and image receptor define a source-to-image distance therebetween, and also including a C-arm assembly including a C-arm having a substantially circular movement track formed thereon, wherein the X-ray source and image receptor are mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the C-arm such that said X-ray source and image receptor define a source-to-image distance therebetween, wherein the X-ray source includes means for projecting X-rays having a central beam onto the image receptor;
a support arm disposed in slidable engagement with the circular movement track of the C-arm such that the C-arm assembly is selectively slidable relative to said support arm in orbital rotation about a single axis of orbital rotation, said circular movement track being substantially common to a circle having a center point which coincides with said single axis of orbital rotation such that said single axis of orbital rotation remains substantially fixed relative to the support arm for any position of the C-arm assembly relative to said support arm, and wherein the C-arm assembly and the support arm have a collective center of mass and are collectively mass balanced about the axis of lateral rotation such that said collective center of mass substantially coincides with said axis of lateral rotation for any rotational position of the support arm relative to the articulating arm means about said axis of lateral rotation;
an articulating arm assembly comprising articulating arm means pivotally attached to the support assembly such that the support assembly is selectively rotatable relative to said articulating arm means about an axis of lateral rotation to selected lateral positions, and wherein the articulating arm means is pivotally attached to the support arm such that the support arm is selectively rotatable relative to said articulating arm means about an axis of lateral rotation to selected lateral positions;
and
mobile base support means pivotally attached to the articulating arm means for supporting the C-arm assembly in a suspended position, said mobile base support means being moveable along a floor;
wherein the image receptor comprises:
an input means having an input area for receiving X-rays and producing electrons from said X-rays;
output means having an output area for receiving the electrons and producing light therefrom;
and
image intensification means for accelerating the electrons from the input means to the output means while maintaining said electrons under vacuum so as to produce an optical image from said electrons, wherein the image intensification means is characterized by an absence of micro channels therein.

7 more elements

A miniaturized support arm and imaging apparatus for use with X-ray diagnostic equipment, comprising:

a support assembly comprising holding means and an X-ray source and an image receptor mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the holding means such that said X-ray source and image receptor define a source-to-image distance therebetween, and also including a C-arm assembly including a C-arm having a substantially circular movement track formed thereon, wherein the X-ray source and image receptor are mounted upon opposing locations, respectively, on the C-arm such that said X-ray source and image receptor define a source-to-image distance therebetween, wherein the X-ray source includes means for projecting X-rays having a central beam onto the image receptor;
a support arm disposed in slidable engagement with the circular movement track of the C-arm such that the C-arm assembly is selectively slidable relative to said support arm in orbital rotation about a single axis of orbital rotation, said circular movement track being substantially common to a circle having a center point which coincides with said single axis of orbital rotation such that said single axis of orbital rotation remains substantially fixed relative to the support arm for any position of the C-arm assembly relative to said support arm, and wherein the C-arm assembly and the support arm have a collective center of mass and are collectively mass balanced about the axis of lateral rotation such that said collective center of mass substantially coincides with said axis of lateral rotation for any rotational position of the support arm relative to the articulating arm means about said axis of lateral rotation;
articulating arm means pivotally attached to the support assembly such that the support assembly is selectively rotatable relative to said articulating arm means about an axis of lateral rotation to selected lateral positions, and wherein the articulating arm means is pivotally attached to the support arm such that the support arm is selectively rotatable relative to said articulating arm means about an axis of lateral rotation to selected lateral positions;
mobile base support means pivotally attached to the articulating arm means for supporting the support assembly in a suspended position, said mobile base support means being moveable along a floor;
and
wherein the image receptor is characterized by an absence of fiber optic devices.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.