Apparatus for taking an X-ray picture of the head

Abstract

Apparatus for taking an X-ray picture of the head of a human being which comprises an X-ray source, an X-ray film holder and a head setting device disposed between the source and the holder. The setting device includes an axially aligned pair of ear rods adapted to be inserted into the holes of the opposite ears and means for moving the ear rods relative to the path of the X-ray beam from the source without changing the relative positions of the ear rods.

Description

This invention relates to an apparatus for taking an X-ray picture of a desired portion of the head of a human being from a desired angle relative thereto.

For medical diagnosis and/or treatment it sometimes is required to take an X-ray picture of a required portion of the head of a patient and particularly the interior thereof. However, the interior bones of the head are so complex in shape and association with each other that they sometimes obstruct taking a clear picture of the required portion of the head. Therefore, it is necessary to project the X-ray beam onto the required portion from an angle which minimizes overlapping of the bones. In this case, it is necessary to properly position the head relative to the X-ray beam projected thereto from a predetermined angle. However, the head is likely to move so that it is difficult to keep it stationary and consequently to keep fixed the angle from which the X-ray beam is projected onto the head.

It is also common to take X-ray pictures before and after treatment so as to compare the portion that has been treated with the same portion before the treatment. In this case the pictures before and after the treatment must be taken by the X-ray beam projected from the same angle. As previously mentioned, it is difficult to keep the head stationary during the time the single picture is taken and even more difficult to take a picture after the treatment with the X-ray beam projected from exactly the same angle as before the treatment.

When the interior of the head is radiographed it is inevitable that on the path of the X-ray and in front of and/or at the back of the portion to be radiographed there are other bones whose images must be blurred to obtain a clear image of the required portion on the film.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the invention to make it easy to position the head of a patient to be radiographed relative to the direction in which the X-ray beam is projected. According to the invention, in order to properly position the head of a patient, there are provided an axially aligned, opposed pair of ear rods adapted to be inserted into the holes of the opposite ears of the patient. The distance between the ear rods is adjustable without changing the axial alignment, and there is provided an X-ray source at the outer side of one of the ear rods and an X-ray film at the outer side of the other ear rod in such a manner that the X-ray source and the film can be moved relative to each other while an X-ray picture is being taken. The arrangement of the ear rods makes it possible to determine the relative position of the head to the ear rods, and this position can easily be reproduced when X-ray pictures are repeately taken. The ear rods are adjustable to any desired position, so that it is possible to position the head at any desired angle to the straight line connecting the X-ray source and the film. In other words, it is possible to set the head to any desired position and at any desired angle relative to the direction of projection of the X-ray beam.

Another object of the invention is to obtain a clear and sharp X-ray image. To this end, one or both of the X-ray source and the X-ray film are movable along the path of the X-ray beam emitted by the X-ray source. If both the X-ray source and the film are thus moved while keeping constant the ratio of the distance between the X-ray source and the portion to be radiographed and the distance between the same portion and the film, the image of that portion is kept stationary on the film while those of the other portions are moved so as to be blurred thereby causing the image of the portion to be radiographed all the more distinctive. In this case, even if along the path of the X-ray beam there are bones in front of and/or at the back of the portion to be radiographed, it is possible to obtain a clear image of that portion.

The invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partically cut-away perspective view of a portion of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view explaining the radiographing operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a frame 1 which supports a head setting device 2. The device 2 includes an axially aligned, opposed pair of ear rods 3A and 3B so arranged that they are movable toward and away from each other and the axial line connecting them can be positioned to any angle to the path of the X-ray beam. The ear rods are fixed to vertical members 4A and 4B, respectively, made of a material which X-rays can easily pass. The members 4A and 4B depend from a horizontal arm 5 in such a manner that the vertical members 4A and 4B are slidable along the length of the horizontal arm 5. Operating arms 6A and 6B have their one ends pivotally connected to the upper ends of the vertical support members 4A and 4B, respectively, and the opposite ends pivotally connected to the points at the opposite sides of the center of a disk 7 rotatably mounted on the horizontal arm 5. A handle 8 is fixed to the disk 7 so that by turning the handle it is possible to rotate the disk thereby to move the vertical supports 4A and 4B along the length of the horizontal arm 5 toward or away from each other.

The head of a patient is placed between the vertical members 4A and 4B, and by turning the handle 8 the members 4A and 4B are moved toward each other as far as the ear rods 3A and 3B thereon are inserted into the holes of the patient's ears. Thus the head has now been set at the proper position for taking an X-ray picture of the required portion of the head.

The arm 5 has its middle point pivotally supported by the outer end of an arm 10 so that rotation of the arm 5 in a horizontal plane results in a corresponding rotation of the axial line connecting the ear rods 3A and 3B in the same horizontal plane.

The arm 10 is so mounted on the upper end of a bracket 11 so as to be movable longitudinally relative to the bracket 11 by means of a handle 12 so that the line connecting the ear rods can be moved in parallel in the same horizontal plane.

The bracket 11 has its lower end pivotally mounted on a carriage 13 so that the axial line connecting the ear rods 3A and 3B is rotatable in a vertical plane. The carriage 13 is horizontally slidable on a carriage 14 by means of a handle 15. The carriage 14 is its turn mounted on a base 16 so as to be vertically slidable relative to the latter by means of a handle 17, and the base 16 is fixed to the frame 1. Therefore, by turning the handles 15 and 17 it is possible to move the straight line connecting the ear rods in parallel in the horizontal and vertical planes.

With the above arrangement it is possible to incline the straight line connecting the ear rods 3A and 3B any desired angle relative to the plane of the frame and/or to a plane perpendicular to the plane of the frame and at the same time move the line upward or downward, forward or rearward, or rightward or leftward to any desired position. Therefore, if the head of a patient is placed between the members 4A and 4B with the ear rods inserted into the holes of his ears, the patient's head has now been placed at the proper position for taking an X-ray picture thereof. If the positions of the various members are read at the corresponding scales S1-S5, it is possible to repeatedly place the head at the same position.

The frame 1 is provided with an X-ray source 21 at one side of the head setting device 2 and an X-ray film magazine 22 at the opposite side thereof. The direction in which the X-ray is emitted by the source 21 is parallel with the plane of the frame. The source 21 is supported by a slide 23 which is in turn supported by the frame 1 so that the slide is movable in parallel with the plane of the frame 1.

The slidable frame 23 is provided with upper and lower rails 24 secured to the inner surfaces of the upper and lower walls of the frame. A guide block 25 is secured to the frame 1 and provided with rollers 26 which engage the rails 24 of the frame 23. A motor 27 drives one or more of the rollers 26 thereby to move the slidable frame 23.

The film magazine 22 is detachably held by a holder 32 which is supported by the frame 1 so as to be slidable relative thereto by a mechanism similar to that by which the slide frame 22 for the X-ray source is moved. The film magazine is movable in the opposite direction to that in which the X-ray source is moved, as will be described later.

The operation of the apparatus of the invention will now be explained with reference to FIG. 3. Suppose that a jaw 41 has left and right joints 42 and 43, which former is to be radiographed. The joint 42 is positioned at the side of the film 22A while the joint 43 is positioned at the side of the X-ray source 21A. Suppose that when the radiographing operation is started, the X-ray tube 21A and the film 22A are at points M and N, respectively, and while the radiographing is being conducted they are moved at a constant speed in the opposite directions as far as points M' and N', respectively, when the radiographing operation is finished. When the X-ray tube is at M, the images of the joints 42 and 43 are formed at points A and B, respectively, on the film 22A at point N and when the X-ray tube and the film have been moved to M' and N' respectively, the same images are formed at A' and B', respectively, on the film at N'. As is clearly shown, the distance between B and B' is far greater than the distance between A and A'. Therefore, the image of the joint 43 is much blurred on the film in comparison with that of the joint 42. In other words, the image of the joint 42 becomes clearer than those of the other portions on the film. If the ratio of the distance between the joint 42 and the X-ray tube 21A and the distance between the same joint 42 and the film 22A is kept constant by regulating the speeds of movement of the X-ray tube and the film, the positions A and A' coincide so that the image of the joint 42 becomes stationary and sharp and distinctive.

As described above, in accordance with the invention, it is possible to set the patient's head to any desired angle relative to the direction of projection of the X-ray beam and to obtain a clear and sharp picture of the portion to be radiographed by rendering the image of that portion less blurred than the those of the other portions.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. A head-position adjusting apparatus suitable for use in combination with an X-ray photographic apparatus, wherein an X-ray beam is transmitted along a substantially horizontal X-ray axis towards an X-ray film intersecting said X-ray axis, to position the head of a person such that it intersects said X-ray axis, X-ray photographic apparatus, said head-position adjusting apparatus comprising:

a support arm adapted to be positioned above said X-ray axis;

a pair of spaced support members mounted on said support arm so as to extend outwardly from said support arm in the general direction of said X-ray axis, and adapted to be moved toward and away from one another along said support arm;

a pair of ear rods, one of said ear rods being affixed to one of said pair of spaced support members and projecting toward the other of said pair of spaced support members, the other of said ear rods being affixed to the other of said pair of spaced support members and projecting toward said one of said pair of spaced support members, said pair of ear rods defining a straight line, and being movable into and out of the ears of the head of a person when said head is suitably positioned between said pair of spaced support members;

ear rod positioning means connected to said pair of spaced support members for simultaneously moving said pair of spaced support members so as to position said pair of ear rods in the ears of the head of a person when said head is suitably positioned between said pair of spaced support members; and

head positioning means connected to said support arm for selectively positioning said straight line connecting said pair of ear rods: (a) longitudinally with respect to said X-ray axis; (b) transversely with respect to said X-ray axis in both vertical and horizontal planes; (c) arcuately with respect to said X-ray axis in a generally vertical plane; and (d) arcuately with respect to said X-ray axis in a generally horizontal plane.

2. A head-position adjusting apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said head-positioning means comprises:

a first arm, said support arm being rotatably mounted on said first arm such that said straight line connecting said pair of ear rods is selectively positioned adjustable arcuately with respect to said X-ray axis in a generally horizontal plane;

a second arm, said first arm being mounted on one end of said second arm such that said straight line connecting said pair of ear rods is selectively positioned adjustable transversely with respect to said X-ray axis in a horizontal plane; and,

a carriage mechanism, said second arm being rotatably mounted on said carriage mechanism such that said straight line connecting said pair of ear rods is selectively positioned adjustable arcuately with respect to said X-ray axis in a generally vertical plane, said carriage mechanism being suitable for selectively position adjusting said straight line connecting said pair of ear rods longitudinally with respect to said X-ray axis and transversely with respect to said X-ray axis in a vertical plane.

3. A head-position adjusting apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said carriage mechanism comprises a first carriage element, a second carriage element and a support block, said first carriage element being mounted on said support block so as to be vertically movable with respect to said support block and said second carriage element mounted on said first carriage element so as to be horizontally movable with respect to said first carriage element, said second arm being rotatably mounted on said second carriage element.

4. A head-position adjusting apparatus as claimed in claim 3, including:

a first indicating means associated with said support arm and said first arm for providing a visual indication of the rotational position of said support arm with respect to said first arm;

a second indicating means associated with said first arm and said second arm for providing a visual indication of the transverse position of said first arm with respect to said second arm;

a third indicating means associated with said second arm and said second carriage element for providing a visual indication of the rotational position of said second arm with respect to said second carriage element;

a fourth indicating means associated with said first and second carriage elements for providing a visual indication of the transverse position of said second carriage element with respect to said first carriage element; and,

a fifth indicating means associated with said support block and said first carriage element for providing a visual indication of the position of said first carriage element with respect to said support block.

5. A head-position adjusting apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said ear rod positioning means comprises:

a disc rotatably mounted on said support arm between said pair of spaced support members; and,

a pair of connecting links, one of said connecting links running from one off-center position on one surface of said disc to one of said pair of spaced support members and the other of said links running from a second off-center position on the same surface of said disc to the other of said pair of spaced support members, said off-center positions being diametrically located on opposite sides of the center of said disc.

6. A head-position adjusting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ear rod positioning means comprises:

a disc rotatably mounted on said support arm between said pair of spaced support members; and,

a pair of connecting links, one of said connecting links running from one off-center position on one surface of said disc to one of said pair of spaced support members and the other of said links running from a second off-center position on the same surface of said disc to the other of said pair of spaced support members, said off-center positions being diametrically located on opposite sides of the center of said disc.