Abstract:
A radiation protection system for protecting medical personnel from radiation being applied from a radiation source to a patient positioned on a table. The system includes a shield for positioning above the table having an inner frame sized and shaped for receiving the patient when the patient is positioned on the table, and a plurality of rods extending outward from the inner frame. The shield also has an outer frame surrounding the inner frame and connected to the plurality of rods, and a radiopaque flexible panel attached to the rods.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/781,262 filed Mar. 10, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     This invention generally relates to radiation protection, and more particularly, to a radiation protection system for protecting medical personnel during radiographic procedures.  
         [0003]     Radiographic equipment (e.g., x-ray equipment) used when performing a wide variety of medical procedures. For example, radiographic equipment is used by cardiologist when positioning heart catheters in patients. Many procedures such as these require medical personnel to be in direct contact with the patient, thereby preventing the personnel from being in a separate room and potentially exposing the medical personnel to radiation. For this reason, radiation shields are used during radiographic procedures to reduce radiation exposure. Radiation shields typically are constructed of materials such as lead that significantly reduce the transmission of radiation. For example, some shields include lead plates mounted on stands that may be adjusted to position the plates between the medical personnel and sources of radiation. Despite the use of these shields, medical personnel are still exposed to radiation. Exposure comes from many radiation sources other than the primary source. For example, a significant secondary radiation source is radiation transmitted through the patient to the medical personnel.  
         [0004]     Cumulative long-term radiation exposure may cause adverse affects to medical personnel. Medical personnel performing radiographic procedures typically spend many hours over their careers performing such procedures. Medical personnel typically wear protective clothing, including a full lead apron, a thyroid collar and leaded glasses, to reduce radiation exposure while performing the procedures. However, wearing heavy lead protective clothing may have long-term adverse effects, including disabling spinal disorders. Although there are many prior art radiation protection systems for protecting and shielding medical personnel from radiation exposure, these systems often require medical personnel to wear protective clothing. Therefore, there is a need for systems that reduce or eliminate the need for wearing protective clothing to reduce or eliminate the effects of wearing the protective clothing.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY  
       [0005]     The present invention relates to a radiation protection system for protecting medical personnel from radiation being applied from a radiation source to a patient positioned on a table. The system comprises a shield for positioning above the table. The shield includes an inner frame sized and shaped for receiving the patient when the patient is positioned on the table, and a plurality of rods extending outward from the inner frame. The shield also has an outer frame surrounding said inner frame and connected to said plurality of rods, and a radiopaque flexible panel attached to said rods.  
         [0006]     Other aspects of the present invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective of a radiation protection system of a first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective of a portion of a radiation protection system of a second embodiment of the present invention shown with panels removed;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective of the radiation protection system of the second embodiment shown in a collapsed configuration;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective of the radiation protection system shown in  FIG. 1  shown with a radiation source positioned for a patient groin shot;  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a perspective of the radiation protection system shown in  FIG. 1  shown with a radiation source tilted caudal and laterally;  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a perspective of the radiation protection system shown in  FIG. 1  shown with a radiation source tilted caudal;  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is an alternate perspective of the radiation protection system shown in  FIG. 1  with the system stored away from other equipment;  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective of a lift of the first embodiment;  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  is a perspective of a lift of an alternative embodiment;  
         [0016]      FIG. 10  is a detail of the system shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 11  is a perspective of a system of a third embodiment; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 12  is a perspective of a system of a fourth embodiment. 
     
    
       [0019]     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]     Referring now to the drawings and in particular  FIG. 1 ; a radiation protection system of one embodiment of the present invention is designated in its entirety by the reference numeral  20 . The system  20  comprises a shield, generally designated by  22 , including flexible panels  24  and a visually transparent window  26 , both of which have low radiation transmissivity, mounted on a frame  28 . The shield  22  is suspended by a lift, generally designated by  30  in  FIG. 8 , mounted on an overhead track  32  positioned above a table  34 , a radiation source  36  ( FIG. 2 ), and radiographic monitoring equipment  38 . The track  32 , table  34 , source  36  and equipment  38  are all conventional and will not be described in further detail.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates an alternate embodiment of the frame  50  with the flexible panels  24  removed for clarity. The frame  50  of the alternative embodiment is similar to the frame  28  of the previous embodiment except that it folds for storage. The frame  50  includes hinges  52  which permit the frame to fold to a collapsed position as shown in  FIG. 3  for storage. As further illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the frame  50  includes lower support rails  54  extending inward from the sides of the frame toward the table  34 . The rails  54  extend inward to an inner frame  56  which extends over the table  34  and partially surrounds the patient as will be explained in further detail below. In one embodiment, one of the rails  54  and frame  56  are connected to the table  34  by a link  58  so the shield  22  moves with the table. Although the frame  50 , rails  54 , and inner frame  56  may be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment they are made from stainless steel tubing or another suitable material.  
         [0022]     Telescoping rods or struts  60  extend between the frame  50  and the window  26 . Additional telescoping rods or struts  62  extend between the frame  50  and the inner frame  54 . Although different numbers of rods  60 ,  62  may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment the shield  22  has six upper rods  60  and four lower rods  62  as shown. The flexible panels  24  are suspended from the rods  60 ,  62 . Although the panels  24  may be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment the panels include lead sheets wrapped in vinyl covers. The panels  24  may be attached to the rods using any suitable fasteners such as hook and loop fasteners, screws, adhesives, zippers, or Velcro fasteners. Velcro is a federally registered trademark of Velcro Industries B.V. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the flexible panels  24  and telescoping rods  60 ,  62  maintain radiation protection while providing flexibility to allow the shield  22  to conform to the needs of the medical personnel. The rods  60 ,  62  may include internal rotational and linear bearings or bushings (not shown) to reduce friction and decrease resistance to movement.  
         [0023]     As furthers illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a flexible interface  70  is fastened across the inner frame  56  to cover an opening between the inner frame and patient. Lead blankets  72  are positioned over the patient. The interface  70  and lead blankets  72  reduce radiation from being transmitted to the medical personnel through the patient. A lead skirt  74  is fastened to the lower rail  54  of the frame  50  and to the table  34  to reduce radiation traveling beneath the shield  22  to the medical personnel. In one embodiment, the skirt  74  extends substantially to the floor. In one embodiment (not shown), the skirt  74  extends below the table  34 . Although the interface  70 , blankets  72  and skirt  74  may be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment they include lead sheets wrapped in vinyl covers similar to the construction of the panels  24 . The interface  70 , blankets  72  and skirt  74  may be attached to the shield  22  and each other using any suitable fasteners such as hook and loop fasteners, screws adhesives, or Velcro fasteners. Thus, the system  20  provides a complete radiation barrier between the radiation source  36  and medical personnel, as well as between the patient and the medical personnel. The system  20  also blocks all other substantial secondary sources of radiation. In fact, it is believed that the system  20  can block more than 99% of all radiation that would otherwise reach the medical personnel, thereby eliminating the need for heavy protective clothing.  
         [0024]     As further illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the inner frame  56  is pivotally mounted on the rails  54  and the ends of the rods  62  are pivotally mounted on the frame  50  and the inner frame so the inner frame is free to pivot about the rails. The window  24  is suspended from a support  80  mounted on linear bearings  82  mounted on the frame  50 . The window  24  is connected to the support  80  by a ball joint  84  and the rods  60  are pivotally mounted on the frame  50  and the window so the window is free to tilt in all directions within the frame. Although the window support  80  may be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment it is made from stainless steel tubing or another suitable material. Although the window  24  may be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment it is made from a leaded acrylic having low radiation transmissivity. The flexibility of the panels  24  and rods  60 ,  62  as well as the pivoting window  26  and tilting inner frame  56  permit the shield  22  to accommodate large excursions of the radiation source  36  that are required for viewing specific parts of the patient and to prevent damaging the source and equipment  38  if collisions occur. For example, the flexibility of the shield  22  permits the table  34  and source  36  to be positioned for a patient groin shot as shown in  FIG. 4 , to be positioned so the source is tilted 45 degrees caudal and 45 degrees laterally as shown in  FIG. 5 , or to be positioned so the source is tilted 45 degrees caudal as shown in  FIG. 6 . In each case, the shield  22  bends out of plane to accommodate the movements of the table  34  and source  36  without unnecessary encroaching into the space where medical personnel stand.  
         [0025]     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the lift  30  is slidably mounted on a carriage  90  which is mounted on a bridge  92  that is slidably suspended between the overhead track  32 . The carriage  90  and bridge  92  form an x-y stage which permits the left  30  to be positioned anywhere within an area defined by the track  32 . For example, the system  20  may be moved concurrent with the table  34  or it may be moved to a position remote from the table, source  36  and equipment  38  as shown  FIG. 7  to permit the radiographic equipment to be used without the system  20  or to permit the patient to be positioned onto and removed from the table. The carriage  90  and bridge  92  may include bearings to reduce friction and decrease resistance to movement. Moreover, it is envisioned that the carriage  90  and bridge  92  may be motorized to further increase the ease with which they are moved. Further, the carriage  90  and bridge  92 , as well as other moving components, may include brakes or detents for maintaining relative positions.  
         [0026]     A bellows  94  covers the lift  30 .  FIG. 8  illustrates one embodiment of the lift with the bellows  94  removed. In this embodiment, the lift  30  includes linear bearings  100  mounted between the frame  28  and the carriage  90 . The lift  30  includes springs  102  biasing the shield  22  upward to neutralize its weights so that it may be easily lifted upward and away from the table  34 . In one embodiment, the lift  30  has a slight upward force balance so the weight of the shield  22  is not borne by the table  34 . In an alternate embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , the linear bearings are replaced with a scissors mechanism  110 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 10  illustrates one embodiment of the fasteners  120  used to connect the interface  70  to the inner frame  56 . As further illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the inner frame  56  and the window  26  may include handles  122  allowing medical personnel to grasp the window and inner frame to position these elements more easily.  FIG. 10  also shows openings  124  in one embodiment of the blanket  72  for allowing access to the patient while minimizing radiation exposure to medical personnel. The openings  124  may be covered by inserts (not shown) having smaller apertures to further reduce radiation exposure.  
         [0028]     In an alternate embodiment shown in  FIG. 11 , the frame  50  includes a pivoting wing  130  having a visually transparent window  132  for permitting the medical personnel to view the patient&#39;s upper body and the radiation source  36  without exposing the medical personnel to radiation. Although the window  132  may be made of other materials without departing from the scope of the present invention, in one embodiment it is made from a leaded acrylic having low radiation transmissivity. In this embodiment, the skirt  74  may extend below the window  132  to reduce radiation exposure.  
         [0029]     In some embodiments, the shield  22  may include a cover  140  between the window  26  and adjoining the panels  24  to increase the flexibility of the shield while reducing radiation leaks at the interface between the window and panels. One embodiment of the cover  140  is shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0030]     Another embodiment shown in  FIG. 12  is similar to that shown in  FIG. 11  but includes a lower shield assembly, generally designated by  150 , that connects to a lower edge of the shield  22 . The lower shield assembly  150  includes casters  152  for support the lower assembly and permitting it to move more easily with the shield. Further, in one embodiment the lower assembly  150  may include hinges  152 ,  154  and telescoping panels  156  so the lower assembly can expand horizontally with the shield and vertically with the table  34  to prevent gapping. As will also be evident in  FIG. 12 , the support  80 , bearings  82 , and ball joint  84  may be eliminated in some embodiments. This is accomplished by increasing the strength of some of the this struts  60  so they are capable of carrying the load of the window  26 . As suitable ways of providing the additional strength are well known to those skilled in the art, they will not be described in further detail.  
         [0031]     A video camera and audio intercom (not shown) may be mounted on the frame to permit patient communication and observation.  
         [0032]     As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the systems described above may be included in new radiographic labs or retrofitted to existing labs.  
         [0033]     A document is attached hereto as an appendix and is incorporated by reference in its entirely.  
         [0034]     When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiments(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.  
         [0035]     As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.