3D LASER-ASSISTED POSITIONING SYSTEM

Abstract

Device (1) for positioning interventional instruments within an examination space, with a tomograph (11) for recording diagnostic image data of the examination space, a patient table (4) that can be moved transversely and/or rotated, at least one radiation unit (2, 2A, 2B, 2C) with a radiation source, which generates directed electromagnetic radiation, at least one carrier device (3, 3A, 3B, 3C) associated with the respective radiation unit (2, 2A, 2B, 2C), a control unit for orientation of the respective radiation unit (2, 2A, 2B, 2C) and of the patient table (4) according to the access and target points selected based on the diagnostic image data, wherein each radiation unit (2, 2A, 2B, 2C) is arranged movably with a first degree of freedom on the respective carrier device (3, 3A, 3B, 3C) and the carrier device (3, 3A, 3B, 3C) permits the mobility of this radiation unit (2, 2A, 2B, 2C) relative to the patient table (4), wherein an access point and the relative orientation of an instrument to reach a target point that lies in a trajectory of the instrument can be marked by means of the respective radiation unit (2, 2A, 2B, 2C), wherein the positioning of the carrier device (3, 3A, 3B, 3C) takes place in the coordinate system of the tomograph (11), to be precise without coordination with a second coordinate system of the carrier device (3, 3A, 3B, 3C) or the radiation source, wherein the access point and the target point can be selected independently of one another from the diagnostic image data, and the radiation unit (2, 2A, 2B, 2C) comprises an orientation device (6) for orientation of the radiation source and/or of the radiation (5) in at least a second and a third degree of freedom, wherein the second and the third degree of freedom relate to different movement axes.

Claims

1. Device for positioning interventional instruments within an examination space, with a tomograph for recording diagnostic image data of the examination space, a patient table that can be moved transversely and/or rotated, at least one radiation unit with a radiation source, which generates directed electromagnetic radiation, at least one carrier device associated with the respective radiation unit, a control unit for orientation of the respective radiation unit and of the patient table according to the access and target points selected based on the diagnostic image data, wherein each radiation unit is arranged movably with a first degree of freedom on the carrier device associated with it and the carrier device permits the mobility of the respective radiation unit relative to the patient table, wherein an access point and the relative orientation of an instrument to reach a target point that lies in a trajectory of the instrument can be marked by means of the respective radiation unit, wherein the positioning of the carrier device takes place in the coordinate system of the tomograph, to be precise without coordination with a second coordinate system of the respective carrier device or the respective radiation unit, wherein the access point and the target point can be selected independently of one another from the diagnostic image data and the respective radiation unit comprises an orientation device for orientation of the radiation source and/or of the radiation in at least a second and a third degree of freedom, wherein the second and the third degree of freedom relate to different movement axes.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the movement axes of the second and third degree of freedom correspond to the transverse axis and the longitudinal axis of the patient table.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the orientation device for orientation of the radiation comprises orientation elements, in particular at least one pivot joint and/or at least one mirror element.

4. Device according to claim 3, wherein of the orientation elements, a pivot joint is associated with the orientation of the beam guide and a mirror element is associated with the orientation of the radiation.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the radiation is pivotable by the orientation elements of the orientation device along the longitudinal axis and the transverse axis respectively by 100°, preferably by 90° and in particular by 88°.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the tomograph is a magnetic resonance imaging system (MRI) or a computer tomograph (CT).

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic image data from which the access point and the target point can be selected comprises several image layers.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the carrier device comprises a power supply for the radiation unit.

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the carrier device comprises a drive for moving the radiation unit.

10. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises precisely one radiation unit and precisely one carrier device, wherein the one carrier device permits the mobility of the one radiation unit along a radius relative to the patient table.

11. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises three radiation units and three carrier devices, wherein a radiation unit is associated with each of the three carrier devices and wherein the carrier devices permit the mobility of the respective radiation unit along a path relative to the patient table and wherein the three carrier devices are arranged substantially in a “U” shape around the patient table.

Description

[0043] The figures show:

[0044] FIG. 1 the arrangement of the inventive device on a CT

[0045] FIG. 2 a schematic overview of the inventive device with a depiction of the possible angles of incidence of the radiation

[0046] FIG. 3 a detailed view of the carrier device with contact rails and transport element

[0047] FIG. 4 a detailed view of the radiation unit with radiation guide and orientation elements

[0048] FIG. 5 a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the device with three radiation units and three carrier devices

[0049] FIG. 1 shows the inventive device 1 in this case in combination with a CT as an imaging system 11. The inventive device 1 further comprises the radiation unit 2 and the carrier device 3. The carrier device 3 is arranged in a circular segment around the patient table 4. The radiation unit 2 is provided movably on the carrier device 3. The carrier device 3 is connected via a holding element A to a defined position in relation to the tomograph 11, for example to the ceiling of the CT room or to the tomograph 11.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a part of the inventive device 1, namely the radiation unit 2 and the carrier device 3. According to the invention, the radiation 5 emanating from the radiation unit 2 can be oriented both along the transverse axis B and the longitudinal axis C. This is one of the substantial advantages of the inventive device 1, as it thus permits the selection of an access path also outside of a purely transverse orientation within the transverse plane.

[0051] The radiation 5 emanating from the radiation unit 2 is preferably pivotable by the orientation elements 7, 8 of the orientation device 6 (not depicted) along the transverse axis B and the longitudinal axis C respectively by up to 90°. Pivoting of 90° along the longitudinal axis signifies, for example, that starting out from an imaginary vertical beam D onto the patient table (not shown), pivoting of the radiation by 45° in a first direction along the longitudinal axis C can take place, for example to the head end of the patient table, and pivoting of the radiation by 45° in a second direction along the longitudinal axis C can take place, for example to the foot end of the patient table. The same applies to pivoting along the transverse axis B.

[0052] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the carrier device 3 with contact rails 9 and transport element 10. The contact rails 9 serve to supply power to the radiation unit 2, which has corresponding contacts (neither shown). These or other contact rails 9 can also be provided for transmitting data to the radiation unit 2. The transport elements 10 are provided here as belts, which can be driven via motors (not shown). The radiation unit 2 is connected to the transport element 10 in this case and can be oriented via this as a passive drive along the carrier device 3.

[0053] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the open radiation unit 2 with orientation device 6. For implementing the orientation of the beam 5, the orientation device 6 comprises orientation elements 7, 8, here a pivot joint 7 for orientation of the beam guide 5 and a mirror element 8 for orientation of the radiation 5 emanating from the beam guide. The orientation elements 7, 8 are provided movably via motors. The expert selects the joints 7 according to the mobility desired in each case. Embodiments are thus also conceivable with ball joints etc., for example. The expert likewise selects the mirror elements 8 according to his expert knowledge.

[0054] In addition to the first degree of freedom possible via the mobility of the radiation unit 2 along the carrier device, the orientation device 6 enables the radiation 5 to be oriented by means of the orientation elements 7, 8 in at least two other degrees of freedom, thus at least in a second and a third degree of freedom. It is important in this case that the three degrees of freedom at least partially relate to different axes, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0055] FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the device 1A according to the invention with three radiation units 2A, 2B, 2C, each of which is associated with a carrier device 3A, 3B, 3C. The technical construction of the radiation units 2A, 2B, 2C and the carrier devices 3A, 3B, 3C corresponds to the construction described previously. This alternative embodiment of the device 1A differs from the embodiment described previously with just one radiation unit and a carrier element in the form of a circular arc (as shown in FIG. 2) in that here it is not a single circular-arc carrier device with just one radiation unit arranged movably thereon that is provided. Here three radiation units 2A, 2B, 2C are provided, which are each associated with a carrier device 3A, 3B, 3C. The carrier devices 3A, 3B, 3C are preferably provided formed straight, but embodiments are also conceivable in which all or individual carrier devices 3A, 3B, 3C can be curved.

[0056] The carrier devices 3A, 3B, 3C are preferably arranged in a “U” shape around the patient table 4 such that the opening of the “U” points downwards. The carrier devices 3A, 3B, 3C are arranged here preferably at right angles to one another, arrangements at another angle also being conceivable.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0057] 1 Device [0058] 2 Radiation unit [0059] 3 Carrier device [0060] 4 Patient table [0061] 5 Radiation [0062] 6 Orientation device [0063] 7 Orientation element, articulation [0064] 8 Orientation element, mirror [0065] 9 Contact rail [0066] 10 Transport element [0067] 11 Tomograph [0068] A Holding element [0069] B Transverse axis [0070] C Longitudinal axis [0071] D Vertical beam (sagittal axis)