Abstract:
The invention relates to a device for supporting a patient to be supported laterally on an x-ray table with a supporting element comprising a trough-like arched supporting surface and a fastening device for fastening the supporting element to the x-ray table such that the supporting surface continues a reclining surface of the x-ray table.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority of German application No. 10 2005 032 504.1 filed Jul. 12, 2005, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention relates to a device for supporting a patient to be rested laterally on an x-ray table as well as an x-ray table interacting therewith.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     With the radiographical examination of the large intestine for instance, it is necessary to x-ray the patient in different positions, e.g. face-down position and lateral position. An x-ray examination in the lateral position is required in particular to be able to better track the flow of a contrast medium.  
         [0004]     To support the patient in a lateral position, a device designed according to a type of trough and which can be mounted on the x-ray table is known according to the prior art. The known device requires a relatively large resting area to be provided and in addition can only be mounted onto the x-ray table with effort.  
         [0005]     In addition, it is also known to strap the patient down to an x-ray table which can be rotated about the longitudinal axis and to subsequently pivot the x-ray table such that the patient is disposed in a lateral position. This is perceived by the patient to be unpleasant as a result of the constriction associated therewith.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The object of the invention is to eliminate the disadvantages according to the prior art. In particular, a device is to be specified, which can be mounted in a simple fashion and is not perceived to be unpleasant by a patient in a lateral position.  
         [0007]     This object is achieved by the features of the independent claims. Expedient embodiments of the invention result from the features of the dependent claims.  
         [0008]     According to the invention, a device for supporting a patient to be rested laterally on an x-ray table is provided, with a supporting element comprising a trough-like arched supporting surface and a fastening device for fastening the supporting element to the x-ray table such that the supporting surface continues the reclining surface of the x-ray table.  
         [0009]     Moving away from the prior art, the proposed device can be of relatively small dimensions. It is designed in particular such that it uses an already existing reclining surface of the x-ray table and continues in order to support the patient laterally. A lateral support of the patient using the device according to the invention is not perceived to be unpleasant. The patient is only supported against the device. In particular, he/she is not strapped down to the reclining surface or to the device.  
         [0010]     According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the supporting element is produced from a material which can be permeated for x-rays. Furthermore, the fastening device can also be produced from a material which can be permeated for x-rays. The material expediently has an average atomic number Z of less than 14, preferably less than 8. It can be manufactured for instance from a plastic fortified with carbon fiber. When the supporting element and/or the fastening device is produced from the material permeable for x-rays, it is advantageously possible also to use the device in a region which is x-rayed during the examination. The material permeable for x-rays does not interfere or only insignificantly so with the production of x-ray images.  
         [0011]     According to an advantageous embodiment, the fastening device comprises at least one first fastening element. The first fastening element can be a plug element, a latching element or a clamping element which corresponds to at least one second fastening element provided on the x-ray table. The first fastening element can be one or a number of pins for instance, which can be inserted into the second fastening elements designed as recesses and corresponding thereto on the x-ray table.  
         [0012]     The first and the second fastening element can be advantageously interlocked with one another. To this end, known locking mechanisms can be provided in accordance with the invention.  
         [0013]     According to a further embodiment of the invention, provision is made for a device for optionally adjusting the arrangement of the supporting surface in respect of the fastening device. This allows the incline or the horizontal position of the supporting surface to be adjusted individually for instance. It is thus possible to adjust the arrangement of the supporting surface particularly to a size of the patient.  
         [0014]     Furthermore, it has proven expedient for a length of the supporting surface extending parallel to the longitudinal edge of the x-ray table to amount to less than 0.5 times, preferably less than 0.3 times, the length of the x-ray table. The proposed device thus only extends across one segment of the longitudinal side of the x-ray table. To ensure the patient is securely supported in a lateral position, several devices distanced from one another can be attached to the longitudinal side of the x-ray table. In particular, this enables a patient to be laterally supported in such a way that the device is not x-rayed during an examination. The formation of image artifacts possibly generated by the device can thus be avoided.  
         [0015]     According to a further measure of the invention, provision is made for an x-ray table with at least one second fastening element corresponding to the first fastening element for fastening a device according to the invention. The x-ray table according to the invention enables the claimed device to be attached in a simple and rapid manner. When said device is attached to the x-ray table, the supporting surface continues the reclining surface of the x-ray table. The supporting surface is configured here such that when it is in an assembled state, it produces an essentially continuous transition from the reclining surface to the supporting surface.  
         [0016]     According to one embodiment of the x-ray table, provision is made for the second fastening element to be provided in the region of at least one of the two longitudinal edges of the x-ray table. This allows one or a number of devices according to the invention to be fastened in the region of the longitudinal edge of the x-ray table. In particular, the second fastening elements can be attached such that a number of devices distanced from each other can be attached to the x-ray table. A plurality of second fastening elements can also be provided on the x-ray table such that a fastening position for the claimed devices can be selected as a function of the size of the patient. It is naturally also possible for the second fastening elements to be provided on both longitudinal edges of the x-ray table, particularly in a symmetrical arrangement.  
         [0017]     According to a further embodiment, the x-ray table can be pivoted about an axis running parallel to the longitudinal edge. This allows the patient to be rearranged rapidly from a face down position into a lateral position. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which;  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic perspective view of a first supporting device,  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic side view of a second supporting device,  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a second supporting device attached to an x-ray table.  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of a third supporting device attached to the x-ray table,  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a fourth supporting device attached to the x-ray table,  
         [0024]      FIG. 6  shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a fifth supporting device attached to the x-ray table,  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  shows a schematic side view of an x-ray table with supporting devices attached thereto according to  FIG. 3  and  
         [0026]      FIG. 8  shows a top view according to  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     With the first supporting device indicated in  FIG. 1 , a trough-like arched supporting surface  1  is formed by a correspondingly arched first plate  2 . The first plate  2  is held by an upright standing second plate  3  linked thereto. To increase the stability of the device, it is naturally also possible to provide a base plate (not shown here) which links a first edge  4  of the first plate  2  to a second edge  5  of the second plate  3 . The bending of the first plate  2  describes a segment of a circle of approximately 90°. The bending is designed such that it comprises an approximately horizontally running tangent on the first edge  4 .  
         [0028]     The device is expediently produced from a material transparent for x-rays. This can be aluminum or plastic for instance. The plastic can be fortified with fibers, particularly carbon fibers.  
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a second supporting device. This is a supporting device according to  FIG. 1 , with first fastening elements  6  being provided here on the second edge  5  of the second plate  3 . The first fastening elements  6  are expediently likewise produced from a material transparent for x-rays. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first fastening elements  6  can be plug elements, for example pins, latches, bars or suchlike.  
         [0030]      FIG. 3  shows several second supporting devices in an assembled state on an x-ray table  7 . The supporting devices are arranged such that their supporting surfaces  1  face each other. The first fastening elements  6  engage in the second fastening elements  9  corresponding to the first fastening elements  6  and provided in the region of the longitudinal edge  8  on the x-ray table  7 . The second fastening elements  9  are advantageously recesses which are designed correspondingly to the first fastening elements  6 . A reclining surface of the x-ray table  7  is designated with reference character  12 . As apparent from  FIG. 3 , the supporting surface  1  essentially continually passes into the reclining surface  12 .  
         [0031]     In the third supporting device shown in  FIG. 4 , the arch of the supporting surface  1  extends over an angle of approximately 180°. The supporting surface  1  is also formed here by a correspondingly arched first plate  2 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 5  shows a fourth supporting device. The supporting surface  1  is formed here by several elements, which can be moved in respect of one another so that the size of the supporting surface  1  can be adjusted. The elements can be the first plate  2  and a further arched plate  10 , which can be moved in respect of the first plate  2 .  
         [0033]     With the fourth device shown in  FIG. 6 , the first plate  2  is connected to the second plate  3  via an adjusting device  11 . The adjusting device  11  can comprise a rail which can be realized with a latching or clamping mechanism for instance, a threaded pin or such like guided into a thread. The adjusting device  11  allows the horizontal position of the first plate  2  to be changed in respect of the second plate  3  and/or the first fastening elements  6  provided thereupon.  
         [0034]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show a lateral view and a top view on an x-ray table  7  with devices attached thereto. The x-ray table  7  comprises several recesses  9  in the region of its longitudinal edge  8 , in which recesses the first fastening elements  6  engage in a form-fit manner. The first  6  and the second fastening elements  9  can also be designed such that a latching connection or a lockable connection can be produced. As apparent from  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the supporting devices comprise an essentially smaller length than the x-ray table  7 . They are fixed to the longitudinal edges  8  of said x-ray table  7  at a distance from one another. This particularly allows the patient to be x-rayed in those regions in which no supporting devices are attached to the x-ray table  7 .