Patent · US Expired

Automatic gantry positioning for imaging systems

US5255680A · kind A · utility

396Cited by
11References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 3, 1991
Grant dateOct 26, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 3, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2090/365
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A tracking system which measures the position and orientation of invasive devices is used to automatically control the location of the X-ray imaging system gantry and/or patient table. The position and orientation of the invasive device, such as a catheter, are measured by detection of a radiofrequency field generated by the invasive device. The invasive device has at least one transmit coil attached near its end and is driven by a low power RF source to produce a dipole electromagnetic field that can be detected by an array of receive coils distributed around a region of interest. Automatic gantry placement facilitates medical diagnostic and therapeutic X-ray procedures and in some instances can reduce the number of personnel required to perform these procedures.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.