Abstract:
A medical imaging system having a patient support apparatus is provided. The medical imaging system includes a framework portion and a kit of rigid modular patient support panels, constructed of material having a radiation attenuation coefficient less than that of metals. The panels in sub-combination are removably mounted to and supported by the framework portion. The panels are selectively assembled to define varying surface profiles, including selective gaps there between, that are capable of conforming a patient in contact with the surface profile in a range of supported body positions from supine to seated.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   This disclosure relates generally to a diagnostic imaging system, and more particularly to a diagnostic imaging system having a patient support apparatus for physically supporting the patient during imaging by an imaging device of the diagnostic imaging system. In its most immediate sense, the disclosure relates to a diagnostic imaging system having a nuclear medicine imaging device and a patient support apparatus for supporting the patient during imaging by the nuclear medicine imaging device. 
   Nuclear medicine imaging assesses the radionuclide distribution within a patient after an in vivo administration of radiopharmaceuticals. The imaging systems that assess the radionuclide distribution include radiation detectors and associated electronics. The assessment includes detecting a nuclear decay event, where each detected nuclear decay event is referred to as a count. 
   In one prior art nuclear medicine imaging system using an emission camera the patient is supported on a table providing a single fixed planar surface for the patient to lie on. The emission camera is provided within the inner walls of a chamber formed within a tunnel shaped structure. The table is mobile for being received within the chamber. By rotating the emission camera relative to the patient, the emission camera images the patient at a variety of angles for acquiring image data in 3-dimensions. The patient is expected to remain still during the duration of the imaging study. Disadvantages associated with positioning the patient on the table and within the chamber include discomfort related to claustrophobia, discomfort remaining stationary and supine on the planar table, and isolation of the patient from medical practitioners. 
   Another prior art nuclear medicine imaging system includes an imaging device supported on an arm supported by a structure, such as a gantry or a wall, and a patient support apparatus configured as a table or pallet, where the table provides a single fixed planar surface for the patient to lie on. The gantry and/or arm is adjustable for moving the imaging device so that the patient supported on the table is in the field of view of the imaging device. Disadvantages associated with positioning the patient on the table during imaging using the supported imaging device include patient discomfort and difficulty in remaining stationary without shifting position for the duration of the imaging study. 
   In a prior art nuclear medicine imaging system described by U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0176676, a chair-type patient support apparatus is provided. The described imaging device may be provided in combination with the patient support apparatus or as a separate unit. The chair may be positioned in an upright position or a reclining position. The chair may be provided with a back, seat and leg support, where the back and seat may be rotated relative to one another about a hinge, and the seat and leg support may be rotated relative to one another about a hinge. 
   Disadvantages associated with the chair-type patient support apparatus described is that supportive material used for the back, seat and leg support sections of the chair for supporting the patient&#39;s weight contributes to undesirable attenuation of radiation emitted during the imaging study. The materials forming each of the back, seat and leg must be sufficiently strong to provide the necessary support, and accordingly must have the necessary thickness and denseness to provide the support. The material of the portion of the chair that contacts the patient near a region of interest (ROI) being imaged contributes the most significant attenuation. For example, during a cardiac imaging study in which a patient is seated in a reclining position with the back of the patient supported by the back portion of the chair, the material of the chair contacting the back of the patient that is behind the heart of the patient contributes the most significant attenuation. 
   Furthermore, there are limitations to the positions that the chair may assume. Additionally, the chair size is fixed, and the shape of each of the back, seat and leg support elements is fixed. The chair is not configurable for patients of different sizes or shapes, or for accommodating different types of imaging studies corresponding to different ROIs (e.g., cardiac, prostrate, etc.). A close juxtaposition of the camera relative to the ROI contributes to good image quality. The camera may include a single-head or dual-head detector which needs to be positioned as closely as possible to the ROI. The structure of the chair is likely to interfere with placement of the camera in close juxtaposition to a ROI of a patient when the chair is used for a variety of different types of imaging studies which correspond to different ROIs and the use of single or double-head detectors. 
   To overcome the drawbacks in the prior art, it is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide a nuclear medicine imaging system having a patient support apparatus that is configurable for minimizing attenuation during an imaging study, where the patient support apparatus is used for a variety of different types of imaging studies which correspond to different ROIs. 
   It is a further aspect of the present disclosure to provide a nuclear medicine imaging system having a patient support apparatus that is configurable for accommodating patients of different sizes and shapes. 
   It is a further aspect of the present disclosure to provide a nuclear medicine imaging system having a patient support apparatus that is configurable for allowing of a camera of the imaging system to be in close juxtaposition to a ROI of a patient, where the patient support apparatus is used for a variety of different types of imaging studies which correspond to different ROIs. 
   SUMMARY 
   In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure there is provided a medical imaging system having a patient support apparatus. The medical imaging system includes a framework portion; a first set of at least one panel removably mounted to and supported by the framework portion and for supporting a patient during a first imaging study by the medical imaging system; and a second set of at least one panel removably mounted to and supported by the framework portion after removal of the first set of at least one panel from the framework portion. The second set of at least one panel replaces the first set of at least one panel and supports the patient during a second imaging study by the medical imaging system. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a patient support apparatus for supporting a patient during a medical procedure including a framework portion; a first set of at least one panel removably mounted to and supported by the framework portion and for supporting a first patient during a first medical procedure; and a second set of at least one panel removably mounted to and supported by the framework portion after removal of the first set of at least one panel from the framework portion. The second set of at least one panel replaces the first set of at least one panel and supports a second patient during a second medical procedure. 
   Pursuant to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a medical imaging system having a patient support apparatus comprising: a framework portion having a base; a medical imaging device mounted to the base of the framework portion; a first set of at least one panel removably mounted to and supported by the framework portion and for supporting a patient during a first imaging study by the medical imaging system; and a second set of at least one panel removably mounted to and supported by the framework portion after removal of the first set of at least one panel from the framework portion. The second set of at least one panel replaces the first set of at least one panel and supports the patient during a second imaging study by the medical imaging system. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described herein below with reference to the figures wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a nuclear medicine imaging system having a patient support apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure; 
       FIGS. 2-3  are side views of different configurations of the patient support apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a framework portion of the patient support apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIGS. 5-6  are perspective views of a portion of further different configurations of the patient support apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIGS. 7-8  are perspective views of further different configurations of the patient support apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   For a general understanding of the features of the present disclosure, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals have been used throughout to identify identical elements. With reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , an exemplary medical imaging system in accordance with the present disclosure is illustrated and is designated generally as imaging system  100 . Imaging system  100  includes a patient support apparatus  102  (shown in accordance with a first configuration in  FIG. 1 ) and a medical imaging device  104  supported by a supporting structure  104 . A patient  108  is supported by the patient support apparatus  102  during an imaging study of a region of interest (ROI) of the patient  108 . In the disclosure, the medical imaging system  100  is described as an exemplary nuclear medical imaging system, and the medical imaging device  104  is described as an exemplary nuclear medical imaging device, however the disclosure is not limited thereto. 
   The patient support apparatus  102  includes a framework portion  109 , which in the example provided includes a base  110 , at least first and second posts  112  and  114 , respectively, and at least first and second plates  116  and  118 , respectively. The patient support apparatus  102  further includes a first set  121  of at least one supporting panel, shown exemplarily as including first and second supporting panels  120  and  122 , and optionally panel insert  124 .  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  show the patient support assembly  102  in accordance with first, second and third configurations, respectively. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the panels  120 ,  122  and optional panel insert  124  form a bed for supporting the patient  108  in a supine position. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the panels  120   a ,  122   b  and optional panel insert  124  form a reclining chair, and the patient support apparatus  102  further includes a hand grasp attachment  126  and a foot rest attachment  128 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the patient support apparatus  102  further includes a headrest attachment  130 . 
   The patient support apparatus  102  is reconfigurable by adjusting the framework portion  106  and/or interchanging the first set of panels  121  with a second set of at least one panel  121   a  shown in  FIG. 2 , including panels  120   a  and  122   a , and a third set of at least one panel  121   b  shown in  FIG. 3 , including panels  120   b  and  122   b . A gap, described further below, may be provided between the panels  120  and  122 . The gap may be adjusted by at least one of adjusting the framework portion  106 , interchanging the first and second sets of panels, and adjusting the mounting of at least one of the first and second panels to the framework  106 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 4 , an exemplary embodiment of the framework portion  106  of the patient support apparatus is shown in greater detail. The base  110  rests on a floor, and is immobilized for preventing movement relative to the floor, such as by anchoring the base to the floor, or providing the base with a mechanism for preventing movement relative to the floor. The base  110  may be provided with wheels (not shown) mounted to its bottom surface  132  for providing the patient support apparatus  102  with mobility. The wheels may be retracted, removed or immobilized with brakes for immobilizing the base  110  relative to the floor. The base  110  may be formed of a single plate, or include first and second plates  110   a  and  110   b  mounted on a frame (not shown) that are moveable along the frame in the Y direction relative to one another for increasing the length of the base  110 . The base  110  and/or posts  112  and  114  may be provided with a mechanism for allowing movement of posts  112  and  114  relative to one another, such as by sliding or rolling the posts  112 ,  114  along a channel provided in the base  110 . In another embodiment of the disclosure, the posts  112  and  114  may be mounted at a variety of locations along base  110 . Alternatively, posts  112  and  114  may be mounted to the floor. 
   First post  112  is mounted to the base  110 , which may include being mounted to plate  110   a  of the base  110  when provided. Second post  114  is mounted to the base  110 , which may include being mounted to plate  110   b  of the base  110  when provided. Exemplary mountings for the posts  112  and  114  to the base include bolting, soldering, snap fitting, screwing, clamping, fastening, dovetailing, etc. 
   The posts  112  and  114  may be removably attached to the base  110 , such as for the purpose of disassembling the patient support apparatus  102 . At least one of posts  112  and  114  are provided with a height adjusting mechanism for independently adjusting the height of at least one of post  112  and  114 . For example, post  114  may be provided with telescopic portions that expand from a first height to at least a second height and a braking mechanism for securely maintaining the height selected, even when a force is applied to the posts  112  and  114 , such as by the weight of a patient  108  being supported by patient support apparatus  102 . Exemplary telescopic portions  114   a  and  114   b  are shown in  FIG. 3 , with braking mechanism  136  that locks the height adjusting mechanism and maintains the selected height, even while the patient is supported on the patient support apparatus  102 . Other prior art mechanisms for providing adjustability of height to posts  112  and  114  while withstanding the force of a supported patient  108  (e.g., a screw and motor combination, and a hydraulic mechanism) are included in the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, a control system may be provided for controlling a motor of the height adjusting mechanism for saving the setting of a satisfactory height position or facilitating height adjustment for achieving a desired height position, such as provided by user input or a host computer. 
   A rotatable mount mechanism  138  is provide for rotatably mounting plate  116  to post  112 , and plate  118  to post  114  for allowing plates  116  and  118  to pivot relative to the posts  112  and  114 , respectively, e.g., about axes X 1  and X 2 , respectively, or to swivel relative to posts  112  and  114  about additional axes (e.g., axis Y 1 ). Such rotation (including pivoting and/or swiveling) may be limited for assuring safe and secure positioning of the patient on the patient support apparatus  102 . The rotatable mount mechanism  138  may include a hydraulic system and/or motor (e.g., where the motor turns a shaft that turns a gear for causing the rotation of the plate  116  or  118 ) for facilitating rotation. Only one of the plates or both of the plates  116  and  118  may be rotatably mounted. Additionally, plates  116 ,  118  may be rotated independently of one another. The angle and direction of rotation relative to the reference plane is measurable and preferably selectable. A control system may be provided for controlling a motor of the rotatable mount mechanism  138  for saving the setting of a satisfactory angular position relative to the reference plane and/or facilitating rotation for achieving a desired angular position, such as provided by user input or a host computer. 
   The bed or chair formed by panels  120 ,  122  and optional panel insert  124  may be raised or lowered, e.g., for loading and unloading of the patient  108 . The aforementioned raising or lowering may be achieved by simultaneously lengthening or shortening posts  112  and  114  at the same rate without changing the angle of incline of plates  116  and  118 . The raising and lowering of the bed or chair may be performed while supporting patient  108 . 
   The framework portion  106  provides support for countering the force of the patient&#39;s weight while the patient is supported by the patient support apparatus  102 . The framework portion  106 , e.g., the base  110 , posts  112  and  114 , and plates  116  and  118 , are fabricated of at least one material, including a supportive material, such as metal, providing the necessary support. In order to minimize attenuation of radiation during imaging, the surface area of the plates  116  and  118  is minimized. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, the surface area of the plates  116  and  118  is greater than the area of the cross section of the posts  112 ,  114  upon which the respective plates  116 ,  118  are mounted. Furthermore, the connecting structures for connecting the posts  112  and  114  to the base  110 , and for connecting the plates  116 ,  118  to the respective posts  112 ,  114 , are also fabricated of at least one material, including a supportive material, such as metal, for providing the necessary support. 
   With respect to  FIGS. 2-4 , the patient support apparatus  102  is shown in different configurations for accommodating a variety of patient sizes, patient positions (e.g., sitting upright, sitting reclining, lying supine) and clinical needs. Panel  120 , a body and sitting support, is removably mounted to plate  116 . Panel  122 , a head support and/or chair back, is removably mounted to plate  118 . The surface area of panel  120  is several times larger than the surface area of plate  116 , and the surface area of panel  122  is several times larger than the surface area of plate  118 . 
   When panels  120  and  122  are mounted to their respective plates, they are securely mounted to ensure that the panels will not be unintentionally disengaged from their respective plates. It is desirable that disengagement and reengagement of panels  120  and  122  from their respective plates, and securing of the panels  120  and  122  to their respective plates, may be performed by one operator, such as in-between treating a first patient and a second patient for changing the configuration of the patient support apparatus  102  in accordance with the imaging study being performed for each patient, and the size and positioning of the respective patients. 
   A variety of panels  120 ,  122  may be provided, each panel  120 ,  122  having a different shape, curvature, size or configuration for accommodating patients of varying sizes (e.g., pediatric, adult and obese patients), patient positions, and a variety of clinical needs. The panels  120 ,  122  may vary in curvature along a longitudinal (parallel to the Y-axis) or a transverse axis (parallel to the X-axis). Variation in curvature along the longitudinal axis, for example, accommodate a variety of lying, sitting and postural positions and patient heights, while providing the patient with comfort. Variation of curvature along the transverse axis, for example, accommodates a variety of patient widths, while providing comfort and a sense of security to the patient. The curvature along the transverse axis may be particularly accentuated when rotation of plates  116  and  118  is provided about axis Y 1 . Additionally, panels  120  and  122  may be provided with structures for securing one or more safety or comfort devices, such as cushions or straps. The safety straps are used for securing the patient  108  in order for the patient  108  to be securely supported on the patient support apparatus  102  and for the patient  108  to perceive that he is safe. 
   It is desirable to minimize an attenuation coefficient of the panels  120  and  122  for not interfering with radiation detection during the imaging study by the medical imaging device  104 . Accordingly, it is desirable to minimize the thickness of the panels  120  and  122  for minimizing the attenuation coefficient, and use a material that has a minimal attenuation coefficient. Panels  120  and  122  are made of a rigid material, such as fiberglass or molded carbon fiber that is less dense than metal and has a significantly lower attenuation coefficient than metal. Exemplary materials that would not be appropriate for panels  120  and  122  due to their high attenuating properties include steel, copper, iron, gold, lead, nickel, platinum, silver, tantalum, tungsten, tin, zinc, or any alloy or composite that contains substantial quantities of any of these elements, alone or in combination (e.g., &gt;10% by weight). The use of any of the aforementioned materials, alloys or composites is minimized or eliminated in the portions of the patient support apparatus  102  that may be positioned near the ROI of the patient  108 . 
   The rigid material is sufficiently rigid to maintain its shape even while supporting a patient  108 . The panels  120  and  122  should not deform under the weight of the patient  108  or if the patient  108  exerts additional force, such as if he shifts his weight or changes position while being supported by the patient support apparatus  102 . Generally, the patient support apparatus  102  should not move, shift or deform under the weight of the patient  108  or in response to any force exerted by the patient  108  while supported by the patient support apparatus  102  in order that the patient  108  remain motionless during an imaging study. 
   Any of the panels described may be provided with adjustment mechanisms for changing the configuration of the panel itself. Once the adjustment is made, the panel must be locked in that position and configuration so that no motion of the patient will occur during an imaging study. 
     FIG. 3  shows panels  120   a  and  122   a  with the patient support apparatus  102  configured in one configuration, and  FIG. 4  shows panels  120   b  and  122   b , with the patient support apparatus  102  configured in another configuration. Panel  120   a  is shorter than panel  120   b , and panel  122   a  is shorter than panel  122   b , defining a gap  140  in-between at least a portion of the top end  142  of panel  120   a  and at least a portion of the bottom end  144  of panel  122   a.    
   The size and location of gap  140  may be adjusted by selecting different panels  120  and  122 , adjusting how the panels  120  and  122  are mounted to the respective plates  116  and  118 , and/or adjusting the positions of the posts  112  and  114  relative to one another. The size and location of the gap  140  may be selected for accommodating the size of the patient and the clinical purpose. For example, gap  140  may be provided adjacent to the patient&#39;s chest for performance of a cardiac imaging study, adjacent the pelvic area for performance of a pelvic (e.g., uterine or prostrate) imaging study and adjacent the abdomen for performance of an abdominal imaging study, etc.). 
   Gap  140  provides advantages for image acquisition. One advantage includes providing complete or maximized transparency to detectors  150  of medical imaging device  104 . Another advantage includes assuring that detectors  150  are not obstructed for being closely juxtaposed to the patient  108 , and for achieving a full range of movement where applicable for mobile detectors  150  (e.g., for rotation of the detectors  150  about the ROI of the patient  108 ). The ability to configure the patient support apparatus  102  in a variety of configurations in which the gap  140  may be provided at a selected location maximizes the advantages provided by gap  140  for a variety of clinical usages. For example, the patient support apparatus is configured for positioning the gap  140  behind the patient&#39;s  108  heart during a cardiac imaging study, behind the patient&#39;s upper abdomen during a thorax imaging study, and behind the patient&#39;s pelvic region during a pelvic imaging study. 
   At least one releasable mechanical fastening structure is provided for mounting the panels  120  and  122  to plates  116  and  118 , respectively, so that the panels  120  and  122  are replaceable with another set of panels. The at least one mechanical fastening structure may include a screw, clamp, mating or dovetailing structure, etc. In one embodiment of the disclosure, a first mating structure is provided on each of the bottom surfaces of panels  120  and  122  and a second mating structure is provided on the each of the top surfaces of plates  116  and  118 . The first mating structure of panel  120  engages with the second mating structure of plate  116 , and the first mating structure of panel  122  engages with the second mating structure of plate  118  for securing panel  120  to plate  116  and panel  122  to plate  118 . The first and second mating structures may be disengaged for replacing the panel  120  or the panel  122  with another panel  120  or  122  for reconfiguring the patient support apparatus  102 . The panels  120  and  122  or the plates  116  and  118  may be provided with more than one mating structure, each mating structure positioned in a different position, where using a selected mating structure for mounting one of the panels  120  or  122  determines the position of the panel  120  or  122  once mounted. 
   Each of the panels  120  or  122  may be provided with an associated code which identifies the panel  120  or  122  that can be sensed by a reader device provided with the nuclear medical imaging system  100 . For example, the code associated with panel  120  may include an optical code or an RFID code stored in an RFID tag that identifies the panel  120 . The reader device may sense and decode the code, and record the code by storing it on a storage device. 
   The configuration used for the patient support apparatus  102  for each imaging study may be recorded, such as by recording the heights of the posts  112  and  114 , the positions of the posts  112  and  114  relative to the base  110  or one another, the angular position of the plates  116  and  118  with respect to the reference plane or another structure, identification (ID) codes for each of the panels  120  and  122  for identifying the panels used, and the position in which the panels  120  and  122  were mounted. The settings may be recorded manually or sensed and recorded automatically, e.g., in the storage device. Accordingly, the same settings may be used for subsequent imaging studies of the same patient, even when the time interval in-between the imaging studies is extended. By using the same settings for the subsequent imaging studies, unnecessary variables are eliminated. The settings may be set manually and/or automatically, such us via a control system. 
   Panel insert  124  is optionally disposed within gap  140 . Panel insert  124  does not need to support the patient&#39;s weight, but is provided for providing the patient with a sense of comfort and/or a perceived sense of security. Panel insert  124  may be formed of a rigid or flexible material having a minimal thickness, which may be less than the thickness of panels  120  and  122 . The material and thickness of the material used for panel insert  124  is selected in order that the transparency of panel insert  124  to radiation is maximized, and an attenuation coefficient of panel insert  124  be minimized. Accordingly panel insert  124  has a minimal affect on radiation that is radiated from the ROI for maximizing image quality of images acquired by medical imaging device  104 . 
   Panels  120  and  122  may be provided with accessories, such as the foot rest  128  and the hand grasp  126 , respectively. The foot rest  128  provides comfort and a sense of security to the patient  108 . The hand grasp  126  as shown in  FIG. 3  is grasped by the patient&#39;s  108  hands for positioning the patient  108  in a position that is ideal for a cardiac imaging study. One or more hand grasps  126  may be provided at other location(s) for positioning the patient  108 , and/or allowing the patient  108  to feel secure and comfortable while grasping the hand grasps  126  during an imaging study other than of the cardiac type. The accessories may be molded with the corresponding panel, or may be provided as attachments to be mounted to the corresponding panel. A fastening mechanism is provided for mounting each of the foot rest  128  and the hand grasp  126  to the corresponding panel. The fastening mechanism is sufficiently strong to resist force exerted by the patient  108  by his feet or hands. The fastening mechanism may include a screw, bolt, clamp, etc. 
   The headrest  130  may be provided for supporting the patient&#39;s  108  head, such as during an imaging study of the head/brain. The headrest  130  is formed of a material having a low attenuation coefficient, such as fiberglass or carbon fiber, and has a minimal surface area for maximum transparency to radiation. For example, the attenuation coefficient of the headrest  130  may be lower than or the same as the attenuation coefficient of panel  122 , and the thickness of the headrest  130  may be lesser than or the same as the attenuation coefficient of panel  122 . The portion of the headrest  130  upon which the head is supported may be concave or cupped for cradling the patient&#39;s  108  head for inhibiting head movement and giving the patient  108  a sense of comfort, stability and security. The headrest  130  may be similar to a prior art headrest which is typically attached to a prior art patient support apparatus, however the headrest  130  is configured for being molded with panel  122  or mounted to panel  122  with a fastening mechanism, such as a screw, bolt, clamp, mating structures, etc. 
   With respect to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the patient support apparatus  102  is shown reconfigured for supporting a patient&#39;s legs while positioned in a straddle position. The exemplary configurations shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  may be used for performance of a pelvic imaging study. In  FIG. 5 , a fourth set of at least one panel  121   c  is shown including one panel  160  having portions  162  and  164  for supporting each of the patient&#39;s  108  respective legs. An additional post  166  and plate  168  is provided for supporting portion  162  and one of the patient&#39;s  108  legs. Post  112  has been relocated to a different location and together with plate  116  supports portion  164  and the other of the patient&#39;s  108  legs. Post  114  remains in its original position and together with plate  118  supports the remaining portion of panel  121   c . Panel  121   c  is flat for allowing the patient to lie supine while supported thereupon. An open area  170  is described between portions  162  and  164 . The open area provides space for a detector  150  to be placed in closely juxtaposition to the ROI being imaged. 
   In  FIG. 6 , a fifth set of at least one panel  121   d  is shown including panels  120   d  and  122   d . The panel  122   d  is supported by post  114  and plate  118 , with post  114  in its original location. Panel  122   d  having portions  162  and  164  is supported by post  112  and plate  116 , and post  166  and plate  168 . Post  112  is relocated to the different location. Posts  112 ,  114  and  166  form a tripod configuration. An open area  170  is described between portions  162  and  164  of panel  122   d . Open area  170  merges with gap  140 , which is described by panel  120   d , with gap  140  lying below the patient&#39;s  108  pelvic area when the patient  108  is supported on the patient support apparatus  102 . Open area  170  provides space for a detector  150  to be placed in close juxtaposition to the ROI being imaged. Panel insert  140  (not shown in  FIG. 6 ) may be mounted on at least one of panel  120   d  and  121   d  for providing comfort and security to the patient  108 . By providing gap  140 , attenuation of radiation that is being detected at the ROI of the patient  108  is minimized by removing supportive material below the ROI. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , with the patient  108  lying supine with straddled legs, one or more detectors  150  may be provided in close juxtaposition to the ROI from above patient  108 , in close juxtaposition to the ROI from open area  170 , or a combination thereof. In prior art nuclear medical imaging systems, the patient&#39;s pelvic area is scanned by detectors positioned near the patient&#39;s hips, which is relatively far from the ROI, such as when the ROI is the uterus or the prostrate. A further advantage provided by the configuration shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  is the absence of a post or plate from below the ROI for minimizing attenuation of radiation during the imaging Additional posts may be provided for any configuration of the patient support apparatus  102 . When a post is not being used it may be removed, relocated, or lowered so that it does not interfere with the patient support apparatus  102  or the imaging. 
   The medical imaging device  104  may be mounted to a gantry, arm or robot arm which may be mounted, for example, to a base, floor, wall or ceiling. The base of the medical imaging device  104  may be mobile for relocating the medical imaging device  104  to a new location. The gantry or base of the medical imaging device  104  may be positioned to only one side of the patient  108  and need not span to another side of the patient  108 . In one embodiment of the disclosure, the base to which the medical imaging device  104  is mounted is further mounted to the base  110  of the patient support apparatus  102 , using at least one fastening mechanism, such as a bolt, screw, clamp, mating structures, etc. For this embodiment, the base of the medical imaging device  104  is mounted to base  110  in a manner that will not interfere with adjustment of the base  110 , such as for changing the distance between posts  112  and  114 . 
   The medical imaging device  104  may be configured for a variety of types of nuclear medicine imaging, such as planar imaging or single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) imaging. The medical imaging device  104  may include, for example, a single-head detector having one detector  150 , or a multi-head detector having at least two detectors  150 . The at least two detectors  150  may be configured so that they are fixedly positioned relative to one another at a predetermined angle. The detector(s)  150  may be stationary, be in motion (e.g., pivoting about an axis) during an imaging study, or include a plurality of scanning elements that are in motion, e.g., move up and down or move across the detector ( 150 ). The detector(s)  150  may be configured for imaging the head or brain of a patient. Head scan detector(s) may be disposed, for example, within a headpiece shaped as a ring or a helmet. Rotation of scanning elements or the detector(s) may take place within the headpiece, such as by rotating a collimator, for sensing from the perspective of a range of angles. 
   It is advantageous to position the detector(s)  150  of the medical imaging device  104  in close juxtaposition to the ROI of the patient  108  for acquiring images during nuclear medical imaging. In order to achieve the close juxtaposition to the ROI by the detector(s)  150  it may be desirable to position the detector(s)  150  at a predetermined angle with respect to the patient&#39;s  108  body. In a typical prior art patient support apparatus, structure of the patient support apparatus may interfere with the detector(s) achieving such a close juxtaposition and predetermined angle. When the detector(s) are moving, e.g., for pivoting about the ROI of the patient  108 , the structure of a prior art patient support apparatus typically interferes with the range of motion of the detector(s). 
   Even if the prior art patient support apparatus is designed for a particular imaging study, such as a cardiac imaging study, such as by providing a fixed cut-away area of the patient support apparatus for accommodating the detector(s), the structure of the patient support apparatus is not configurable for accommodating the detector(s) in another type of an imaging study of a different ROI, or for another size patient  108 . A fixed cut-away cannot be repositioned at a different location for acquiring images of a different ROI or imaging a patient  108  of a different size for minimizing or eliminating interference of the structure of the patient support apparatus with positioning and/or movement of the detector(s). 
   In the present disclosure, the position of the gap  140  is reconfigurable for accommodating the detector(s)  150  positioned at different locations for a variety of types of imaging studies and patient sizes. Patient support apparatus  102  can be reconfigured by strategically repositioning gap  140  from one location to another in accordance with the type of imaging study being performed or size of the patient  108  being treated in order that the structure of the patient support apparatus  102  not interfere with positioning of the detector(s)  150 . 
   In accordance with the present disclosure, the detector(s)  150  may be positioned within the gap  140  and to the side or below the patient support apparatus  102  for imaging the patient  108  from another perspective other than from above the patient  108 . Accordingly, the patient  108  may be imaged from a perspective associated with an angle ranging form 0°-360° about the patient  108 . 
   The patient support apparatus  102  is a modular apparatus, in which a combination of modules may be selected from a variety of available modules for configuring the patient support apparatus  102 . A particular clinic may purchase a set of modules that are likely to be useful in conjunction with the types of imaging studies that the clinic performs and for the type of patient treated by the clinic. A clinic that services a wider variety of patient types and/or performs a wider variety of imaging studies may purchase a larger and more varied set of modules. The modules may include at least one of one or more types of bases  110 ; two or more posts  112 ,  114  having associated plates  116 ,  118 ; a variety of panels  120  and  122 ; and a variety of panel inserts  124 . One or more modules may be replaced with another module in-between imaging studies. Accordingly, imaging may be performed from a variety of perspectives without moving the patient, which is conducive to improved image registration of multiple acquired images, consistency of variables between images (associated with patient position), patient comfort and reducing time used to acquire images. 
   The patient support apparatus  102  may be reconfigured to operate as a conventional reclining patient support apparatus. In the conventional reclining configuration, panel  122  is pivotably mounted to panel  120 , such as via a pivotable mounting mechanism, e.g., a hinge, for forming a chair. By adjusting the heights of each of posts  112  and  114  and/or adjusting the angle of incline of each of the plates  116  and  118  (relative to the reference plane) the angle of incline of each of the panels  120  and  122  (relative to the reference plane and/or relative to one another) can be adjusted to achieve desired positioning of the chair. The adjustment may be performed by operating a control device, such as control switch or pedal which controls actuation of a hydraulic device and/or motors driving a mechanism such as gear for affecting the adjustments. 
   The adjustments to the posts  112  and  114  may be coordinated with the adjustments to the angle of incline of the respective plates  116  and  118 , for achieving the desired results. The coordination may be provided by a controller processing device or by one or more mechanical devices. The aforementioned adjustments to the patient support apparatus  102  may be made while the patient  108  is supported on the patient support apparatus  102 . The chair may be raised and lowered, e.g., for loading and unloading the patient  108 , such as by simultaneously lengthening or shortening posts  112  and  114  at the same rate without changing the angle of incline of plates  116  and  118 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8  each show another configuration of the patient support apparatus  102 . In  FIG. 7  post  112  may be positioned under the patient&#39;s  108  thighs or pelvis, as desired, when the patient  108  is supported thereupon. The gap  140  is shown in a position that is ideal for a cardiac imaging study. In  FIG. 8 , the patient support apparatus  102  is shown configured as a bed having a head support and gap  140  positioned near the cardiac region of a patient  108  supported thereupon. 
   The patient support apparatus  102  is not limited to use with nuclear medical imaging, but may be useful with other types of imaging, such as X-ray, fluoroscopy, ultrasound, computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), CAT scan, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, electrical impedance tomography, elastography, diffuse optical tomography, optoacousitic imaging, etc. Additionally, the patient support apparatus  102  is not limited to use with imaging in general, but may be useful for other medical procedure applications, where a medical procedure may be a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure. Exemplary medical procedure applications include an operating chair/table, or a chair/table for treating a patient, such as with acupuncture, acupressure, electro-muscle stimulation, massage, etc. In general, the patient support apparatus  102  is useful in a variety of applications for providing access to a patient from the top, side or underside of the patient, for reconfiguring the patient support apparatus for positioning of the patient, accommodating a variety of equipment, and/or for accommodating a variety of patient sizes. 
   In addition to the aforementioned advantages, the disclosed patient support apparatus  102  advantageously may be configured to accommodate each patient in accordance with his size and position assumed during treatment/imaging and in accordance with the clinical need. By accommodating the patient, the patient&#39;s comfort is improved, which will assist the patient to remain immobile during the imaging study or treatment, for providing better results, including better images. 
   Due to the transparency to radiation and low degree of attenuation associated with the gap  140  and or insert  124 , images acquired using the disclosed nuclear medical imaging system  100  advantageously have better image quality relative to a prior art patient support apparatus. Additionally, using the disclosed nuclear medical imaging system  100 , the improved image quality is achievable with the use of lower doses of radiopharmaceuticals relative to images produced using a prior art patient support apparatus. Furthermore, using the disclosed nuclear medical imaging system  100 , the amount of time necessary for detecting radiation for acquiring images is decreased relative to using a prior art patient support apparatus. 
   Accordingly, the patient support apparatus  102  provides a high degree of versatility and features for improving the quality of image acquisition. The highly mobile patient support apparatus  102  is formed of minimal low cost materials and components. Furthermore, by mounting the medical imaging device  104  to the framework portion  106  of the patient support apparatus  102 , a highly mobile and versatile patient support system  100  is provided. 
   It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. The claims can encompass embodiments in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. Also that various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.