GB2437133A

GB2437133A - Imaging plate support for radiography

Info

Publication number: GB2437133A
Application number: GB0607473A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Reeves; Steven Mcdonald
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-04-13
Filing date: 2006-04-13
Publication date: 2007-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 2026-04-13
Also published as: GB2437133B; GB0607473D0

Abstract

A support system for securely holding Xray and other medical imaging plates 4 of any length and height comprises one or more channelled posts 1 attached to magnetic bases 2 such that the posts can be positioned at any location on a suitably coated ferromagnetic thin plate 3. Alternatively, the posts may be located by grooves in the base.

Description

I

Ilmaging plate support for recording of radiographs

Description

The invention relates to a support for holding Xray or other medical Imaging plates Similar supports are well known, hut suffer from the disadvantages that they are either very large and Intrusive structures to use and store, are over-complicated in use, or are insuffciently stable to guarantee blur-free radiographic recording. Supports typically used for lateral Xray recording in resuscitation environments are heavy and cumbersome to move, take up space around an intensive care bed or stretcher equivalent to at least one person, and also occupy the same large space while not in use.

An object of this invention is to provide a support for medical image media which at least mitigates some of the above problems Applications include: recording of Xrays of reclining patients in intensive care; gastrointestinal imaging such as barium enema procedures, and routine imaging in orthopaedics.

Accordingly this invention provides an Xray imaging plate support including a baseplate and one or more channelled support posts that can. be mounted to the baseplate preferably by means of magnets incorporated in or attached to their bases, so that preferably any width of Xray plate can be accomodated as limited by the width of the baseplate In an alternative embodiment the magnetic location may be replaced by slots in the baseplate along which the channelled support posts maybe slid and clamped at any point along the length of the slot.

Preferably, the haseplate is made of a ferromagnetic material such as suitably coated mild steel. Preferably, the support posts may be made from any material compatible with the clinical setting in which the device is used Preferably, The support posts have a number of channels of differing widths so as to accomodate Xray plates of differing thicknesses. Alternatively, a single channel may be equiped with a spring so as to accomodate a variety of plate thicknesses.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: FIGURE 1 shows a pair of support posts of the current invention mounted to the baseplate of the current invention, holding a typical medical imaging plate FIGURE 2 shows the baseplate of figure 1 in detail FIGURE 3 shows the support post of figure 1 in detail.

FIGURE 4 shows the support of the current invention in use with the baseplate inserted beneath a patient's bed support in order to effect a lateral Xray recording.

As shown in the preferred embodiment of the invention in figure 1 the support comprises a pair of channelled support posts I each attached to a magnetic base 2.

The posts are located on a preferably fiat baseplate 3 made of ferromagnetic material, such that they can he position in a versatile manner at any position and angle on the haseplate 3. This construction enables the posts to hold firmly an Xray or other medical imaging plate 5 Figure 2 shows the flat baseplate 3 in detail which in this preferred embodiment is made from powder-coated mild steel and is equipped with an aperture 5 that can be used as a convenient handle for manipulation or storage via hanging.

Figure 3 shows a support post I in detail equipped with magnetic base 2. In this embodiment the post has been provided with two channels of different widths 6,7 to accomodate imaging plates of different thicknesses. The posts could be equipped with more or less channels, or a single wide channel incorporating a spring so as to firmly locate imaging plates of varying thicknesses Figure 4 shows a view of the invention in one of its intended applications In this case the flat baseplate 3 is slid under the patient's 8 mattress 9 on their bed/stretcher 10 and the support posts 1,2 have been placed to hold an imaging plate 4 so as to effect recording of a lateral (horizontal) X.ray view.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the versatile positioning of the channelled support posts is achieved by means of a slotted thin baseplate, allowing the support posts to be clamped at any position along the length of the slot in the thin baseplate. In this embodiment it would not be necessary to use a ferromagnetic material for the thin baseplate nor to use magnetic bases for the channelled support posts.

Claims

Claims 1. A support for medical imaging plates comprising a baseplate

and at least one channelled support posts where the posts are positionable in use so as to accomodate a medical imaging plate.

2 A support as claimed in claim I wherein the haseplate is of lerrornagnetic material.

3. A support as claimed in claim I wherein each channelled support post s attached to a magnetic base allowing the posts to be positioned at any location and orientation on the ferromagnetic baseplate of claim 2 4. A support as claimed in claim I and 2 wherein the channelled support posts have 2 or more channels of differing width in order to accomodate imaging plates of different thicknesses 5. A support as claimed in claim 1 and 2 wherein the channelled support posts as claimed in claim 3 or 4 are fitted with springs in order to accomodate imaging plates of different thicknesses.

6. A support as claimed in claim 1 wherein versatile positioning and orientation of the channelled support posts is accomplished by means of slots in the baseplate and a mechanical clamping mechanism that allows the vertical channelled posts to be positioned at any point and rotational orientation along the length of the slots in the baseplate.

7. A support as claimed in claim I wherein one or more apertures in the baseplate act as carrying, storing or positioning handles.