Positioning aid for use in performing a tomographic functional examination of the cervical spine

Abstract

A positioning aid (1) for tomographic functional examinations with a base plate (3) which is connected to a moveable patient trolley and with a shoulder plate at the same height as the thorax, which permits a continuously diagonal positioning of the thorax, at the head-end of the shoulder plate, a swivelling reclining plate (23) is linked to an articulated axle (22a) which runs horizontally in a direction transverse to the z-direction, it being possible to lower the said plate in the direction of the base plate, this being characterised in that the shoulder plate is in the form of a first raising plate (4) which is linked to the base plate facing away from the head, this being swivelled via a horizontal articulated axle (5) and in that a first raising pouch (6) of an elastic material is situated between the base plate and the first raising plate, which when filled with a fluid raises the first raising plate from the base plate from one side, in that when the raising plate raises or lowers, the reclining plate moves with it via the articulated axle, whereby it is movable in a z-direction at the end which faces away from the articulated axle, it preferably being positioned on a support surface (24) in such a way that it is displaceable. This enables the complete range of the physiological scope of the CVC movements of a patient being examined in a tomograph which can be visualised to be defined and reproduced in a manner which is precisely adjustable, amended and fixed. The positioning aid is of a simple mechanical design and enables the patient to be positioned as required in a closed tomograph, in order to enable a functional examination of the CVC to be carried out by continuously adjustable means, whereby a functional examination of the LVC is rendered possible by simply extending the positioning aid with no great technical effort.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.