Multimodality medical imaging system and method with intervening patient access area

An imaging apparatus having an imaging axis, comprising:

• separatable first and second imaging devices for obtaining one or more images of a patient, wherein the patient is substantially aligned with the imaging axis;
• a first housing which houses the first imaging device and defines a first bore;
• and
• a second housing which houses the second imaging device and defines a second bore;
• projecting engageable securement structures which extend from at least one of the first housing and the second housing to fixedly attach the first and second imaging devices in positions abutting each other and fixed relative to the imaging axis;
• and
• an opening formed between the first and second bores when the first and second housings are abutting through which opening a caregiver can have line-of-sight visual contact with the patient that is aligned with the imaging axis and extends between the first and second imaging devices.

A medical imaging apparatus, comprising:

• a first tomographic medical imaging device having an opening for receipt of a subject patient;
• a second tomographic medical imaging device having an opening for receipt of the subject patient;
• a patient support structure extending through the openings of the first and second imaging devices during the formation of one or more images by at least one of the imaging devices;
• an imaging device support structure securing the first and second imaging devices in a fixed abutting relationship with the openings of the first and second imaging devices in alignment with an imaging axis during the formation of one or more tomographic images, by at least one of the imaging devices, of the subject patient;
• which imaging device support structure forms a patient access area between the first and second imaging devices through which a caregiver can directly observe the subject patient between the openings of the first and second imaging devices;
• and
• an arcuate drainage surface which is formed as a portion of a housing of either the first or second medical imaging device and positioned between the first and second imaging devices underneath the patient support structure when the imaging devices are secured together.

A medical imaging apparatus, including:

• a first medical imaging device having a housing which defines a first bore;
• a second medical imaging device having a housing which defines a second bore;
• a patient support structure which supports a subject patient during imaging;
• and
• a support structure for securing the first and second bores in a fixed abutting relationship, which support structure forms a patient access area between the first and second imaging devices, a part of the support structure defining a fluid control surface formed by the housing of either the first or second medical imaging device and positioned beneath the patient support structure and between the first and second imaging devices for directing liquids falling onto the surface from the vicinity of the patient support structure away from the subject patient.

A medical imaging method, comprising:

• providing a housing having a first scanner and a second scanner, each scanner having a bore for obtaining tomographic imaging information from at least a portion of a patient;
• positioning each of the first and second scanner bores in fixed positions apart from the other during scanning operations;
• forming a patient access area in said housing between the first and second scanners bores to allow direct access by a caregiver to a patient extending through the first scanner bore and at least partially positioned between the first and second scanners to allow direct access to the patient by a caregiver through the patient access area formed between the first and second scanners;
• and
• draining fluids from a lower end of the patient access area defined by the housing with an arced surface underneath the patient.

A medical imaging apparatus, comprising:

• a first imaging device for obtaining one or more anatomical tomographic images of a subject patient, the first imaging device having a first housing which defines a first imaging region therein;
• and
• a second imaging device for obtaining one or more functional tomographic images of the subject patient, the second imaging device having a second housing which defines a second imaging region therein;
• wherein the first and second housings are selectably securable in a fixed abutting position to one another;
• and
• when the first and second housings are secured in a fixed abutting position to one another, the first and second imaging regions are spaced apart by a distance sufficient to allow access to the subject patient.