X-RAY DETECTOR IN PATIENT BED

A radiographic imaging system provides a digital x-ray detector embedded in a patient bed. A patient lying normally on the bed either flat or at an angle, is positioned above the digital detector. A frame assembly is attached to the bed under the patient and movably secures the digital detector. The frame assembly includes motorized control configured to move the digital detector in the x-y plane of the detector according to commands transmitted by system operators or by automatic system instruction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to medical digital x-ray imaging. Infection control has emerged as being among the most critically important factors in healthcare delivery as a result of the global propagation of Covid 19. One consequence of the pandemic is that it has precipitated and accelerated the innovation process in a multitude of healthcare product arenas, including in areas such as personal protective equipment, ventilators, assays for Covid 19 testing, antimicrobials, among many others. In this regard, of great interest is how to build better infection control into the medical imaging process and, in particular, in the context of remote X-ray imaging of patients in intensive care units and in emergency departments. A current shift in the ICU imaging process now does not involve transporting and positioning of mobile x-ray units for imaging, thereby allowing patients afflicted with infectious disease to remain in isolation from staff that would normally perform the imaging at the patient bedside. One difficulty in bedside patient contact is the placement and removal of an x-ray detector behind the patient for imaging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It would be greatly advantageous to provide a visual indication, such as in a live digital display, to illustrate where the detector is positioned relative to the patient. One approach may use a detector that remains inside the patient's bed behind and/or below the patient for x-ray imaging when needed, and at the same time provides a visual indication through a live video image overlay displayed on a digital display panel to indicate the detector's location relative to the bed and patient.

One system disclosed herein makes use of several key enabling components. First, the detector, which may be a wireless digital detector for wirelessly transmitting captured digital x-ray images, is attached to a frame assembly that moves the detector in x and y directions, as desired, within the frame via motorized control. The frame assembly is attached to and aligned to the backboard of the bed behind the upper or lower region of a torso of the patient. The patient may be lying on the bed either in a supine position, or partially elevated at an angle. Second, one or more digital encoders may be deployed in the frame assembly to sense and electronically transmit the precise x-y location of the detector within the frame and relative to the patient bed using the known location of the frame in relation to the patient bed. Third, a video camera above the patient may be used to capture and transmit a live image of both the patient and part of the patient bed to a digital display. A processing system digitally connected to the detector, the frame assembly and the digital display may be used to process the encoder data and frame location to determine a position of the detector in relation to the bed. Fourth, a graphic cursor, the precise location of which is determined by the processing system using the encoder data together with the known location of the frame with respect to the patient bed, is visibly overlaid by the processing system onto the video display to illustrate the location and shape of the detector placed inside the patient bed. The graphic cursor overlay may be shaped as a rectangle or other useful highlighted area to indicate the location of the detector. The operator may rely on the graphic overlay in the video while using mechanical controls directly connected to the detector's frame assembly to move and adjust the detector's x-y location in the frame assembly such that the detector can be centered behind the desired patient anatomy for radiographic imaging.

In one embodiment, artificial intelligence software can be used to analyze the video stream and identify the location of the patient anatomy, e.g. chest, relative to the patient's bed, and then automatically command the movement of the detector within the frame assembly such that the detector position is appropriately centered behind the patient. Instead of using a video camera, sensors (ultrasound, infrared, radio wave, etc.) in the bed can also be deployed to sense the patient torso location and then automatically command the detector to be centered relative to the patient anatomy. X-ray exposure can be initiated remotely, i.e., outside the ICU room, in order to separate hospital staff from the patient to maximize the protection of the hospital staff from any infectious disease. Post acquisition images may also be provided for review remotely or outside the ICU room on a networked display.

A radiographic imaging system provides a digital x-ray detector embedded in a patient bed. A patient lying normally on the bed, either flat or at an angle, is positioned above the digital detector. A frame assembly is attached to the bed behind the patient and movably secures the digital detector. The frame assembly includes motorized control configured to move the digital detector in the x-y plane of the assembly according to commands transmitted by system operators or by automatic system instruction. An advantage that may be realized in the practice of some disclosed embodiments of the embedded digital detector is improved staff isolation from contagious patients.

In one embodiment, a radiography imaging system includes a patient bed having a frame assembly attached to the bed behind the patient. The frame assembly secures a digital detector and is configured to move the digital detector to a desired location within the frame assembly.

In one embodiment a method includes providing a bed for supporting a patient and attaching a frame assembly to the bed under the patient. A digital radiographic detector is attached to the the frame assembly which is used to move the digital radiographic detector, in a plane of the detector, under the patient to a desired location.

The summary descriptions above are not meant to describe individual separate embodiments whose elements are not interchangeable. In fact, many of the elements described as related to a particular embodiment can be used together with, and possibly interchanged with, elements of other described embodiments. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 63/214,287, filed Jun. 24, 2021, in the name of Wang, et al., and entitled X-RAY DETECTOR DEPLOYED IN PATIENT BED, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

This application is related in certain respects to International Application Publication WO 2022/087047 A1 filed Oct. 20, 2021, in the name of Damany et al., and entitled REMOTE AND AUTOMATED INTENSIVE CARE UNIT; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/666,848, filed Feb. 8, 2022, in the name of Wang et al., and entitled X-RAY BED, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

FIG.1andFIG.3illustrate an exemplary radiographic imaging system that may be deployed in medical imaging facilities such as in an ICU patient room102. A movable tube head101includes an x-ray source, and has a collimator103attached thereto, which tube head101may be mounted on an overhead tube crane that includes an extendable vertical support column105, to which the tube head101is attached, and a movable crane base107, to which the extendable vertical support column105is attached. The movable crane base107is attached to crane tracks109which are affixed to a ceiling111of the patient room102. When the crane base107is moved along the crane tracks109, such as by a remote controllable motor drive, the tube head101may be moved to a desired position. The collimator103may include an electronically controlled collimator103having four individually movable blades for controlling a size of a rectangular aperture which, in turn, controls dimensions of an x-ray beam emitted by the x-ray source. The crane base107may also be be attached to second transverse tracks (not shown) to allow remote controlled movement of the tube head101along a transverse direction. Typically, the overhead tube crane movements may be configured to be perpendicular to each other and both parallel to a ceiling111of the room102containing the radiographic imaging system. The extendable vertical support column105may also be configured to be telescopically extendable and retractable vertically along directions301(FIG.3). The crane base107includes an electric motor for controllably driving the crane base107along the tracks109. Movement of the overhead tube crane allows controlled positioning of the tube head101in relation to the patient bed108and the DR detector115located therein. After controllably positioning the tube head101in relation to DR detector115, for example, the x-ray source therewithin may be remotely and controllably fired to emit x-ray beam306(FIG.3) to expose a patient lying on the patient bed108over the DR detector115. As described in detail herein, such positioning of the tube head101and initiating x-ray exposures may be performed remotely without requiring personnel to be present in the ICU room102. In one alternative embodiment, tube head101may include a plurality of x-ray sources such as carbon nanotubes or other cold cathode sources.

A user control console130may include a processing system131for remotely controlling operation of the radiographic imaging system described herein. The processing system131may include a wired coupling139or a wireless transmission capability via transceiver137for communicating with and controlling movement and operation of the overhead tube crane, the digital detector115, a digital video camera311(FIG.3), as well as the tube head101and the x-ray source(s) therein, such as a power level and/or firing sequence of the x-ray source(s), and timing of exposures to be captured by DR detector115. The tube head101and digital camera311may include a wireless communication capability104, and digital detector115and frame assembly113may also include wireless communication capability116, respectively, for exchanging data and receiving commands and instructions from console130. The control console130includes connected I/O devices such as a keyboard/mouse135and a digital display133for operator O use. The control console130may communicate wirelessly with DR detector115to transmit captured radiographic images to the control console130, and for synchronizing an image capture sequence of the DR detector115with firing of the x-ray source(s) in tube head101. The control console130may then transmit captured radiographic images to other network connected devices over a wired or wireless channel, such as to hand held tablets and cell phones. The control console130may be electronically connected to a medical facility communication network where the radiographic imaging system is installed.

The control console130may be located remotely from the patient room102to provide an environment for operator O that is isolated from the patient room102. The control console130may be used by operator O to obtain radiographic images of a patient in patient room102without requiring operator O to have a direct line of sight of the patient P (FIG.3) or the patient room102. The control console130may be located in a control room of a medical facility on a different floor from the patient room102, or even in a different building of the medical facility. If the medical facility network, which includes the control console130, is connected to the internet then the control console130may be configured to be operable over the internet from hundreds of miles away, thereby allowing the radiography system disclosed herein to be used remotely by operators over large distances. In a separate embodiment, the control system130may be configured and located at a particular site so that operator O may have a line of sight view of the patient P and the patient bed108, such as by providing a window through which the operator O can directly view the patient P. As will now be described in detail, the digital radiographic detector115is secured in a detector frame assembly113that is secured to the patient bed108and is configured to move the digital detector to a desired position within patient bed108while a patient is lying thereon.

With reference to the perspective view ofFIG.2A, detector frame assembly113includes a base frame201and a sub frame203, both of which may be made from a substantially rigid planar material. Sub frame203includes a detector securing frame205attached thereto for holding the digital radiographic detector115therein. The planar base frame201, planar sub frame203, detector securing frame205, and the detector115itself, may all be said to be disposed substantially parallel to each other. The sub frame203includes the following assembly configured to move the detector115along a y dimension. Detector securing frame205includes brackets221a,221bthat are both slidably connected to y guide rod223a, which is fixed to sub frame203in a position parallel to the y dimension. These brackets221a,221b, allow the detector securing frame205(as well as DR detector115therein) to move parallel to the y dimension by sliding along the y guide rod223a. A control rod227ais fixed to the bracket221aand passes through electric motor & encoder225awhich is fixed to the sub frame203. Electric motor & encoder225ais configured to push and pull control rod227atherethrough in order to drive bracket221afurther or closer along the y guide rod223a. As the bracket221ais driven back and forth along y guide rod223a, the detector securing frame205and the DR detector115itself may be moved back and forth along the y dimension on the sub frame203. Electric motor & encoder225ais configured to measure, encode and transmit data to the processing system131that defines a precise distance that motor and encoder225apushes and/or pulls the control rod227aso that a precise position of detector115in the y dimension may be determined by the processing system131.

In a fashion similar, in certain respects, to the y dimension movement of the detector securing frame205just described, the sub frame203is configured to be moved in the x dimension that is perpendicular to the y dimension. The base frame201includes the following assembly configured to move the sub frame203in a x dimension. Sub frame203includes brackets221c,221d, that are both slidably connected to x guide rod223, which is fixed to base frame201in a position parallel to the x dimension. These brackets221c,221d, allow the sub frame203(as well as the detector securing frame205and the DR detector115therein) to move parallel to the x dimension by sliding along the x guide rod223. A control rod227is fixed to the bracket221cand passes through electric motor & encoder225which is fixed to the base frame201. Electric motor & encoder225is configured to push and pull control rod227therethrough in order to drive bracket221cfurther or closer along the x guide rod223. As the bracket221cis driven back and forth along x guide rod223, the sub frame203, the detector securing frame205and the DR detector115itself may be moved back and forth along the x dimension on the base frame201. Electric motor & encoder225is configured to measure, encode and transmit data to the processing system131defining a precise distance that motor and encoder225pushes and/or pulls the control rod227so that a precise position of detector115in the x dimension may be determined by the processing system131. Thus, the digital detector115may be defined as being selectively movable in a plane occupied by the detector, which detector plane is substantially parallel to a plane of the base frame201and a plane of the sub frame203.

FIGS.2B-2Eillustrate top views of exemplary terminal positions of the detector115in the x-y dimensions, with a portion of the frame assembly113elements enumerated inFIG.2Cfor clarity.FIG.2Billustrates the detector115moved to a position in a maximum x dimension (furthest right) and minimum y dimension (furthest downward) illustrated by the arrows adjacentFIG.2B.FIG.2Cillustrates the detector115moved to a position in a minimum x dimension (furthest left) and minimum y dimension (furthest downward) illustrated by the arrows adjacentFIG.2C.FIG.2Dillustrates the detector115moved to a position in a minimum x dimension (furthest left) and maximum y dimension (furthest upward) illustrated by the arrows adjacentFIG.2D.FIG.2Eillustrates the detector115moved to a position in a maximum x dimension (furthest right) and a maximum y dimension (furthest upward) illustrated by the arrows adjacentFIG.2E.

FIG.3illustrates a side view of the radiographic imaging system ofFIG.1, described herein above, in operation having a patient P to be radiographically imaged while lying on patient bed108. As shown inFIG.3, and partially described with reference toFIG.1herein, tube head101, having an x-ray source, or sources, therein and a collimator103attached thereto, is mounted on extendible vertical support column105which, in turn, is attached to crane base107that is configured to move along crane tracks109mounted on a ceiling111of patient room102. Alternatively, the tube head101containing an x-ray source and collimator103may be mounted on a wall of the patient room102. The tube head101may be: (a) moved vertically in directions301using telescoping extendible vertical support column105; (b) moved horizontally in directions303using crane base107movement along crane tracks109; and (c) rotated about vertical axis304in directions305. Similarly, tube head101and collimator103may be rotated in directions307to emit an x-ray beam306at a desired angle. The tube head101may be positioned so as to align the x-ray beam306with the DR detector115, positioned in the frame assembly113within patient bed108having a radiolucent patient cushion309placed thereon for patient P comfort.

As shown inFIG.3, a patient P may be lying on an ICU room bed108having a DR detector115positioned therewithin as described herein. A tube head101having an x-ray source is controllably positioned by an operator O using control console130as described herein. To properly position the tube head101and the detector115, the operator O may make use of a live video digital camera311attached, for example, to tube head101and aimed at patient P. The video camera311may capture and transmit a live video image of the patient P for display to an operator O on digital display133(see, e.g.,FIG.4). Fiducial markers121(FIGS.1and4) may be positioned on patient bed108, and recognized by programmed digital recognition at console processing system131by analyzing the live video image of the fiducial markers121displayed on the digital display133. Together with encoder data transmitted by encoder225identifying a current x position of the detector115and encoder data transmitted by encoder225aidentifying a current y position of detector115, processing system131may be programmed to precisely calculate an x-y position of detector115in the frame assembly113. To initialize the detector115x-y position, the initial location of the detector115relative to fiducial markers121may be recorded as x1and y1(FIG.1) in processing system131. Further x-y dimensional movement of the detector115within frame assembly113, as identified by data transmitted from electric motor and encoders225,225a, are also updated and stored in processing system131. The fiducial markers121may be positioned in locations having known fixed x-y displacements relative to the base frame201and the detector115positioned therein. Thus, calculating a current x-y position of the detector115is achieved using the fiducial markers121, as displayed in the digital display133, and the received encoder data.

With reference toFIG.4, based on a calculation of the current position of detector115, as it is selectively moved in the frame assembly113, processing system131may be configured to overlay a movable semi-transparent cursor401, resembling and representing a rectangular shape of the detector115, on the digital display133to indicate an actual current position of the detector115to an operator O. Based on the displayed cursor401position, the operator O may further selectively adjust the position of the detector115within the frame assembly113until the detector115is in a satisfactory position for initiating a radiographic image capture of patient P as indicated by the cursor401. Thus, the position of the detector115as illustrated by the rectangular cursor401overlaying the live video image of the patient P may be used by the operator O to verify accurate detector115placement.

The control console130may be configured to transmit wireless control signals using transceiver137, in response to operator O instructions input to the control console130to synchronize image capture timing in the detector115and to receive radiographic images captured and transmitted by the detector115. Similarly, the control console130may be configured to transmit control signals to frame assembly113to move the detector115along x-y dimensions, as desired, and to tube head101to control power levels and to activate firing of the x-ray source(s). The control console130may also be configured to transmit wireless control signals to control rotational and extension movement of the extendible vertical support column105and motorized crane base107along crane tracks109. The control console130may receive instructions and commands from an operator O inputting requests via a keyboard or mouse135, for example. In one embodiment, the video camera311may be attached to the patient bed108or it may be attached to another structure in a room102of a medical facility treating the patient P.

Portions of the radiographic imaging system described herein having remote controllable movement may each include a motor that is wirelessly controllable to rotate, extend/retract, or move along guides or tracks. Positioning of the tube head101allows accurate positioning of the x-ray source(s) therewithin in relation to the DR detector115and patient P. After controllably positioning the tube head101in relation to DR detector115and patient P, for example, the x-ray source therewithin may be remotely and controllably fired to emit an x-ray beam306to expose patient P and capture a radiographic image thereof in DR detector115. As further described in detail herein, such positioning and radiographic image capture may be performed remotely without requiring personnel to be present in the ICU room102.

Program code and/or executable instructions embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.