Patent ID: 8126537
Filing Date: 2012-02-28
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method of examining a patient, said method comprising: aligning a pair of rails, a top plate movably coupled to the pair of rails, and a stretcher coupled to the top plate along an examination axis; positioning the stretcher and top plate axially at a first imaging modality position by moving the stretcher and top plate along the pair of rails with the pair of rails locked in position relative to a base unit coupled to the pair of rails, wherein the stretcher and top plate are capable of sliding along said examination axis in both directions relative to the base unit; imaging the patient using a first imaging modality unit; moving the stretcher, the top plate, and the pair of rails axially along the examination axis until at least a portion of the stretcher and top plate are positioned at a second imaging modality position, wherein the pair of rails are capable of sliding along said examination axis in both directions relative to the base unit, wherein the first imaging modality position is at an axial distance displaced along the examination axis and the second imaging modality position is at a greater displaced distance in the axial direction along the examination axis than the first imaging modality position and a gravitational sag is substantially the same at the first and second imaging modality positions; and imaging the patient using a second imaging modality unit.