Patent Number: 050900447
Section: summary

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an X-ray examination apparatus and more particularly, to an X-ray examination apparatus for examining the circulatory system, such as, the blood vessels and the heart. 2. Description of the Related Art X-ray examination of the circulatory system is broadly classified into two methods. One method is angiocardiography in which blood flow, the running and form of the blood vessels, the movement of the heart, etc. is X-rayed by injecting a contrast medium of a high X-ray absorption property into the heart or blood vessel. The other one is cardio catheterization in which the circulation of blood or the cardic function is examined by inserting a catheter into the heart or blood vessel and blood pressure or the rate of blood flow is quantitatively measured. In both of these examination methods, a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel from the brachial or femoral region of a subject to be examined. The method of inserting a catheter from the brachial region is called the Sones method and the method of insertion from the femoral region is called the Judkins method. In performing an X-ray examination by inserting a catheter into the brachium of the subject, an arm is placed on an arm rest and insertion of the catheter takes place under X-ray fluoroscopy. Therefore, it is necessary to protect the operator handling the catheter against scattered X-rays. X-ray protection gloves and protection aprons, for example, are available as means for protecting the catheter-handling operator against scattered X-rays. There exist difficulties, however, with the protecting gloves in that a fine touch in operating the catheter is not fully conveyed to the operator. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide an X-ray examination apparatus capable of protecting the operator's arms/hands against scattered X-rays during catheterization by inserting a catheter into a blood vessel of the subject from the brachial region. To accomplish the above object, the invention provides an X-ray examination apparatus which comprises a bed having arm rest means for supporting a brachial region of a subject when an operator inserts a catheter into a blood vessel of the subject from the brachial region; means for radiating X-rays to the subject lying on the bed; means for converting X-rays passing through the subject into an X-ray image; X-ray shield means, mounted on the arm rest means, for protecting arms/hands of the operator against scattered X-rays.