Abstract:
The protective shield protects a computerized tomography (CT) scanning machine from liquids and other contaminants that may spill or leak during the scanning process. The protective shield, for example, includes a central section that provides for easy positioning in and covering of the gantry opening of the CT scanning machine. The central section, for example, has outer edges with a plurality of hinged panels allowing the protective shield to sit generally flush against the CT scanning machine.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/004,850 filed on Nov. 30, 2007 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]    The description herein relates to a protective shield, such as a removable protective shield, for use on a scanner. For example, the protective shield may be used on a whole body positron emission tomography scanner, although the protective shield can be used with other scanners as well. The protective shield protects, for example, the gantry of the scanner. 
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]    Computerized Tomography (CT) scanning is a powerful diagnostic technique that provides medical personnel detailed images relating to the location of physiological abnormalities, which in some cases may need to be removed. As a diagnostic tool, CT scanning is frequently utilized after a patient has manifested clinical symptoms of a disease. Additionally, CT scanning may be utilized before and after surgical procedures to ascertain both the need for the operation and, later, the success of the procedure. 
         [0004]    Patients undergoing CT scanning procedures are, in some cases, administered medications intravenously. Additionally, the patient may have catheters or other equipment carrying liquids in place, and in some cases may have contrast materials administered by enema. It is not uncommon for liquid from these sources and/or bodily fluids from the patient to leak onto the CT&#39;s gantry and contaminate imaging equipment through the gantry slot. The liquids leaking onto the imaging equipment can cause substantial damage to the imaging equipment, resulting in increased costs for maintenance, repair, and parts. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, it would be advantageous to protect the imaging equipment of the CT scanning machine from liquids and other contaminants leaking through the gantry of the CT scanning machine. 
         [0006]    The protective shield described herein protects a computerized tomography scanning machine from liquids and other contaminants that may spill or leak during the scanning process. One embodiment contemplates the continuous use of the protective shield to protect the scanner&#39;s imaging equipment. Another embodiment contemplates a protective shield that may be removed from the CT scanning machine after each use. A further embodiment contemplates a protective shield that can be sterilized and reused between uses. A still further embodiment contemplates a disposable protective shield that is to be discarded after a single use. Other and additional embodiments will become apparent from a consideration of this entire specification. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0007]    The above and other features, aspects, and/or advantages of the protective shield described herein are considered in more detail in relation to the following accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective front view of a CT scanning machine with a protective shield therein; 
           [0009]      FIGS. 2  is an illustration of the protective shield of  FIG. 1  before application to the CT scanning machine; and, 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of one of the hinged panels that hold the protective shield in place. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]    The protective shield may be better understood by referring to the following description, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numbers are used for like parts. The description of the shield herein is to enable the making and use of an implementation of the protective shield, is not intended to be limited to any particular embodiment of a protective shield, but is to serve as a particular example thereof. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and specific embodiments disclosed herein as a basis for modifying or designing other methods and systems for carrying out the same purposes of the protective shield. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent assemblies do not depart from the spirit and scope of the shield in its broadest form. 
         [0012]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a CT scanning machine  101  generally comprises a CT gantry  104  and a patient table  107 . The CT scanning machine  101  includes a patient receiving chamber  109  into which a patient on the patient table  107  is inserted for conducting diagnostic procedures on the patient. The CT gantry  104  has a gantry opening  106  around at a least of the perimeter of the patient receiving chamber  109 . The gantry opening  106 , for example, may be in the form of the slot shown in  FIG. 1 . The gantry opening  106  permits X-rays to be emitted and to be recorded by the imaging equipment of the CT scanning machine  101 . 
         [0013]    In one embodiment, a protective shield  111  is configured for insertion into the patient receiving chamber  109  of the CT gantry  104  of the CT scanning machine  101  in order to protect the imaging equipment, which is exposed through the gantry opening  106  in the patient receiving chamber  109  of the CT scanning machine  101 , from contaminants such as fluid or run-off from the patient or the patient table  107  or otherwise. 
         [0014]    According to one embodiment of the protective shield  111 , an elongated sheet  201  shown in  FIG. 2  has a central section  204  with a width and a length sufficient to cover that portion of the gantry opening  106  through which contaminants might otherwise pass from the patient to the imaging equipment of the CT scanning machine  101 . Before application of the protective shield  111  to the CT scanning machine  101 , the central section  204  appears to be planar as shown in  FIG. 2 . Outer edges  206  and  207  of the elongated sheet  201  are formed with a plurality of cuts  209  extending from the outer edges  206  and  207  inwardly towards the central section  204 , thus creating a plurality of hinged panels  211  at the outer edges  206  and  207 . 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , the hinged panels  211  allow the outer edges  206  and  207  of the protective shield  111  to sit substantially flush against the front and back contours of the CT scanning machine  101  at the outside front and back faces adjacent the patient receiving chamber  109 , which is typically curved or angled adjacent the relatively cylindrical center portion of the CT scanning machine  101 . Thus, should contaminants drop down from the patient table  107 , the fluid will impact the protective shield  111  and simply run off of onto the floor instead of entering the CT gantry  104  through the gantry opening  106  and potentially fouling the imaging equipment. 
         [0016]    However, if desired, instead of the outer edges  206  and  207  being coextensive with the front to back depth of the patient receiving chamber  109  between the front and back faces of the CT scanning machine  101 , the hinged panels may be long enough that the outer edges  206  and  207  jut out of the CT machine at least somewhat to facilitate run off of contaminants dropping down from the patient table  107 . 
         [0017]    Instead of being flush with the outside faces of the CT scanning machine  101 , the hinged panels  211  at the outer edges  206  and  207  of the protective shield  111  may, as desired, extend somewhat outside of the CT gantry  104  to facilitate the run off of contaminants. Also, in the case wherein the patient receiving chamber  109  is curved as shown in  FIG. 1 , the protective shield  111  bends during application to follow the contour of the patient receiving chamber  109 . This bending of the protective shield  111  causes the hinged panels  211  to also curve forming funnels that channel the contaminants out of the CT scanning machine  101 . 
         [0018]    A representative one of the hinged panels  211  is shown in  FIG. 3  and may be constructed in any number of ways. In one embodiment of the protective shield  111 , the hinged panels  211  consist of pockets with open slots  301 . The open slots  301  allow weights to be loaded into the pockets of the hinged panels  211 . The weights may add to the weight of the protective shield  111  so as to assist in holding the protective shield  111  in place within the patient receiving chamber  109  so that the protective shield is not fastened to the CT scanning machine  101  by fasteners such as screws, clips, etc. For instance, such weights may include sand, silicone, small pellets of different sizes and other materials that, through their weight, allow the protective shield  111  to remain in place. 
         [0019]    It is also contemplated that the open slots  301  of the hinged panels  211  may be sealed after the weight material is added to the pockets. Alternatively, the open slots  301  may be re-sealable so as to permit the weight material to be replaced from time to time. As a further alternative, the hinged panels  211  may be formed of a distinct material with a sufficient thickness and/or weight to hold the protective shield  111  in place during use. As still a further alternative, the hinged panels  211  may be formed with no pockets and of the same materials and thickness as the remainder of protective shield  111 . 
         [0020]    According to one embodiment, the protective shield  111  may be disposable so that it can be discarded after a single use. In this case, the protective shield  111  is preferably formed of inexpensive material. For example, the protective shield  111  may be formed from a thermoplastic sheet. The protective shield  111  also is preferably formed of a flexible material so that the protective shield  111  can be applied to follow the shape of the patient receiving chamber  109 . However, the protective shield  111  may be formed from other materials, either synthetic or natural. It is contemplated that the protective shield  111  may also be utilized continuously. In this case, the material of the protective shield  111  is such that the protective shield  111  can be sterilized and reused as needed. 
         [0021]    The protective shield  111  may be constructed of a number of different materials, such as plastics, that do not interfere with the emissions of the CT machine. In another embodiment, it is contemplated that the protective shield  111  may be fastened to the sides of the CT machine through the use of, for example, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, or other types of fasteners that may be attached to the portion, such as the lower portion, of the CT gantry  104  to which the protective shield  111  is applied. Although  FIG. 1  shows the protective shield  111  extending around only a lower portion of the patient receiving chamber  109 , the protective shield  111  may be applied to the CT scanning machine  101  so that the protective shield  111  extends substantially around the patient receiving chamber  109  in case the contaminants spatter instead of just drop. 
         [0022]    As described above, the protective shield  111  allows contaminants such as fluid to simply run off of onto the floor near the CT scanning machine  101 . Alternatively, the central section  204  of the protective shield  111  can be provided as an absorbent material to absorb the contaminants such as fluid. In this case, the central section  204  of the protective shield  111  may be provided as a two or more ply section having an inner absorbing ply that absorbs traps or absorbs contaminants such as fluid and an outer fluid impervious ply that prevents the contaminants such as fluid from passing out of the protective shield  111  and through the gantry opening  106 . As a further alternative, contaminant collectors may be provided at the ends of the hinged panels  211  to collect the contaminants such as fluid before the contaminants reach the floor. 
         [0023]    While specific values, relationships, materials and/or steps have been set forth for purposes of describing concepts of the protective shield  111 , it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the protective shield  111  as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the basic concepts and operating principles of the protective shield  111  as broadly described. It should be recognized that, in the light of the above teachings, those skilled in the art can modify those specifics without departing from the invention as recited in the claims below. Having now fully set forth embodiments and certain modifications of the concept underlying the protective shield  111 , various other embodiments as well as certain variations and modifications of the embodiments herein shown and described will obviously occur to those skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with such underlying concept. It is intended to include all such modifications, alternatives and other embodiments insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or equivalents thereof. It should be understood, therefore, that the protective shield  111  may be practiced otherwise than as specifically set forth herein. Consequently, the present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.