Patent ID: 7414403

Claim:
A specimen positioning system insertable within an axial bore of an imaging machine having an imaging field with a sweet spot, said system easily, accurately and repeatably positioning a non-human laboratory specimen in the sweet spot, said system comprising: a positioning assembly comprising; at least a first pair of support members insertable within the axial bore of the imaging machine; a first mounting member coupled to said first pair of support members and having a first abutment surface engageable with the imaging machine such that said positioning assembly is axially, radially and circumferentially positioned with respect to the axial bore of the imaging machine; a radially-extending second abutment surface provided on said positioning assembly; and said positioning assembly having an aperture receiving axial passage of the specimen into the axial bore of the imaging machine; a specimen positioning assembly comprising; at least a second pair of support members axially movable along said first pair of support members on said positioning assembly; a retention device provided on said specimen positioning assembly and configured to pass through the aperture of said positioning assembly and secure the specimen in a fixed axial position; a radially-extending third abutment surface provided on said specimen positioning assembly and engageable with said second abutment surface on said integrated positioning assembly; and an axially-extending interconnection provided between said first and second pairs of support members, said interconnection locating and supporting said specimen positioning assembly within the bore of the imaging machine and within the positioning assembly; and wherein axial insertion of said specimen positioning assembly through the aperture of said positioning assembly and along said axially-extending interconnection engages said radially-extending second and third abutment surfaces and thereby accurately and repeatably positions the specimen in the sweet spot of the imaging field so as to enable optimum repeatable imaging of the specimen.