Methods and apparatus for automatic patient positioning
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJianying Li, Thomas L. Toth
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Abstract
In one aspect, the present invention is a method for automatically positioning an object, such as a patient, on a movable table using pre-scan scout data. High and low edges and a center of the object are determined as a function of object position in a z-axis direction. At least one threshold is determined from which to determine whether to move the table. The table is automatically repositioned based on comparison of the thresholds to respective distances of the high edge, low edge and center of the object from isocenter. The above described method allows automatic and dynamic adjustment of the table height to a position that prevents over-range while allowing use of higher gains to reduce image noise.
Claims25
A method for operating an imaging system to image an object, the imaging system having an isocenter and including a table supporting the object, the table being movable in a z-axis direction, said method comprising the steps of:
- determining an object high edge, an object low edge and an object center location as a function of object location in the z-axis direction;
- determining at least one threshold from which to determine whether to move the table;
- and
- automatically repositioning the table based on comparison of the at least one threshold to respective distances of the object high edge, low edge and center from the isocenter.
An imaging system comprising a movable table having a z-axis direction of movement, said table configured to support an object for scanning, said imaging system having an isocenter and being configured to:
- determine an object high edge, an object low edge and an object center location as a function of object location in said z-axis direction;
- determine at least one threshold from which to determine whether to move said table;
- and
- automatically reposition said table based on comparison of the at least one threshold to respective distances of the object high edge, low edge and center from said isocenter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.