DEVICE FOR COMPRESSION OF THE LUMBAR SPINE FOR MEDICAL IMAGING PURPOSES

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device to be used in complementary examination of the lumbar spine at computed tomography and magnetic resonance tomography, whereby it comprises a waistcoat (2) arranged to be placed around the body of a patient, a foot plate (5) comprising pressure sensors (6) and being arranged to a resting surface (1), pulling cords (3) arranged between said waistcoat (2) and said foot plate (5) as well as a straining device (4) arranged to said pulling cords (3).

Description: Device for compression of the lumbar spine for medical imaging purposes . DESCRIPTION Technical field The present invention relates to a device for diagnozing purposes to be used in complementary examination of the iumbar spine at computed tomography and magnetic resonance tomography. The object of the present invention is to obtain a device, the use of which provides aid for an adequate and reproducible examination of the Iumbar spine in connec- tion with computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance tomography, in particu¬ lar for diagnozis of stenoses of the spinal cord canal and nerve structures /spinal stenosis) present therein. Background of the invention Traditionally, the patient is examined in computed tomography and magnetic reso¬ nance tomography in relaxed supine position, which means that those structures in connection with the spinal cord canal, which are variable (intervertebral disks, liga¬ ments, and small joints) are subject to minimal load. At load the pressure in inter alia the intervertebral disks increases, resulting in a protuberance, which in turn diminishes the space in the spinal cord, canal and nerv and vessel structures pre¬ sent therein. At examination of the spinal cord canal of the Iumbar spine while sus¬ pecting spinal stenosis, and using computed tomography or magnetic resonance tomography, there is a need for being able to load the Iumbar spine in the same way as it occurs at upright standing, simultaneously as the patient is placed in a ho- risontal position. It is previously known from US-A-3,629,581 a device for positioning a patient's shoulders in connection with an X-ray examination of the spine of a patient, where¬ by the upper spinal column is pressed down towards the examination table and makes it possible to obtain good X-ray picture of the upper vertebras. Hereby a pressure is applied over the spinal column of the lying patient via two flexible strings provided with handles for the patient, which strings are arranged around a foot plate. US-A-4,534,076 relates to a device for placing a patient in upside down position in order to deload a patient's spinal column. There is thus a problem to be solved at the examination of the spinal canal of the Iumbar spine. Description of the present invention It has now surprisingly been shown possible to be able to solve this problem by the present invention which is characterized in that it comprises a waistcoat arranged to be placed around the body of a patient, a foot plate comprising pressure sensors arranged to a resting surface, pulling cords arranged between said waistcoat and said foot plate as well as a straining device arranged to said pulling cords. By means of the present invention a controlled load of the Iumbar spine can be ob¬ tained when the waistcoat applied around a patient's body is drawn using a prede- termined force against said foot plate by means of said pulling straining device, against which foot plate the patient's feet are arranged, whereby the pressure sen¬ sors indicates the pressure/pulling obtained, and thereby the compression of the Iumbar spine as desired. By means of the compression obtained the space in the spinal canal is reduced and the diagnosis of the spinal stenosis is facilitated and become more safe. The invention will now be described more in detail with reference to the attached drawing, showing a preferred device of the invention, whereby FIG 1 shows a lateral view of one embodiment of a device according to the present invention, and FIG 2 shows one embodiment of a foot plate of the device according FIG 1. 1 denotes a resting surface of a patient table being suitable for being introduced in a device for computed tomography or magnetic resonance tomography. The com¬ puted tomography and the magnetic resonance tomography are known units and are not the subject of the present invention and will thus not be described more in detail. 2 denotes a waistcoat , which is arranged to be placed around the upper bo¬ dy of a patient, the thoracic region, whereby it is fastened suitably using cords of the burdock type. The waistcoat 2 is applied firmly, but still comfortably. Pulling cords 3 run on each side of the patient from the waistcoat 2, whereby said cords are placed at a height h above the resting surface. This height will be more closely defined la¬ ter. The pullling cords 3 are in their other ends attached to a straining device 4, which in a simple embodiment is a mechanical rolling device, manually or motor driven. The straining device 4 is in turn attached to a foot plate 5, which has such a dimension the the two feet of a patient are accomodated upon this. The foot plate 5 is provided with pressure sensors 6 in the form of air cylinders and are further con¬ nected to their respctive manometer 7 for the respective foot. The pressure sensors 6 registers the pressure of the respective foot on the foot plate 5 and this pressure can be read on the manometer 7. The height which the pulling cords 3 are arranged over the resting surface 1 , can be varied depending on the constitution of the patient but also depending on the desired load on the spinal column/lumbar spine. The pressure sensors 6 may also be connected to a motor which affects the strain¬ ing of the pulling cords 3, whereby a predetermined, adjusted value can be main¬ tained as the pressure sensors 6 control this motor. Further, the pressure sensors 6 can be arranged to control a pressure cylinder ar¬ ranged between the pulling cords 3 and the foot plate 5, which pressure cylinder then is the straining device. At an examination a patient is placed on his back upon the resting surface 1 , the waistcoat 2 is arranged around the thorax of the patient and the pulling cords 3 are connected to the waistcoat 2. The pulling cords 3 are then strained by means of the straining device 4, either manually or by means of a motor, whereby they are strain¬ ed to a predetermined value, most often depending on the weight of the patient, whereby for the average patient this value shall provide a load of about 40 kg on the Iumbar spine, i.e. about half the body weight, which is the normal load at upright standing. The pressure sensors 6 determine the pressure and it can be read on the manometers, whether the load is reached, if it is evenly distributed, etc. The patient is then introduced in the computed tomography or magnetic resonan-ce tomography equipment in order to obtain the desired pictures of the desired region.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Device to be used in complementary examination of the Iumbar spine at comput¬ ed tomography and magnetic resonance tomography, characterized in that it comprises a waistcoat (2) arranged to be placed around the body of a patient, a foot plate (5) comprising pressure sensors (6) and being arranged to a resting sur¬ face (1 ), pulling cords (3) arranged between said waistcoat (2) and said foot plate (5) as well as a straining device (4) arranged to said pulling cords (3). 2. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the pulling force of the pull- ing cords (3) are regulated manually. 3. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the pulling force of the pull¬ ing cords (3) are regulated using a motor. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the pulling force of the pull¬ ing cords (3) are regulated using a motor being controlled by said pressure sensors (6). 5. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the pulling force of the pull- ing cords (3) are regulated by means of a pressure cylinder arranged as a straining device (4), which pressure cylinder is controlled by said pressure sensors (6). 6. Device according to one or more of the preceeding claims, characterized in that the height h of the pulling cords (3) above the resting surface (1) is variable at the connection to the waistcoat (2).

Inventors: DANIELSSON BARBRO, GAULITZ ARNE, NICKLASSON THOMAS, WILLEN JAN A G, DANIELSSON, BARBRO, GAULITZ, ARNE, NICKLASSON, THOMAS, WILLEN, JAN, A., G.
Applicants: BOHUSLANDSTINGET, DANIELSSON BARBRO, GAULITZ ARNE, NICKLASSON THOMAS, WILLEN JAN A G, DANIELSSON, BARBRO, GAULITZ, ARNE, NICKLASSON, THOMAS, WILLEN, JAN, A., G.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A61B6
IPC codes: A61B5, A61B6