JP4466338B2 - C-arm X-ray fluoroscope - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus for medical X-ray diagnosis, and more particularly to a drive mechanism for a C-arm that holds an image system.

  With the diversification of X-ray image diagnosis techniques, a multi-axis controllable fluoroscopic imaging table that combines the functions of a conventional fluoroscopic imaging table and a C-arm holder so that X-ray irradiation can be performed from more complex angles. Is used. From non-vascular IVR (interventional radiology) examination (in addition to angiographic examination using catheter as a diagnostic device, a technique to dilate a stenotic blood vessel with a catheter with a balloon and inject an anticancer agent or an embolic substance from the tip of the catheter to treatment) As a fluoroscopic imaging table that can handle multi-purpose examinations up to gastrointestinal tract examinations, a holding mechanism with a C-arm that can perform fluoroscopy and imaging from multiple directions that can accurately grasp the three-dimensional form of the target site is effective especially in IVR. . Without moving the subject, rotate or rotate the C-arm of the X-ray tube and the image receiving unit (image tube, TV camera) mounted opposite to the X-ray tube, and move the table upside down. Perspective / photographing is easily performed from multiple directions.

  FIG. 6 shows a multipurpose C-arm type X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus having a conventional C-arm. In this C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus, a subject is placed on a top 3 and an image tube 4 provided with a TV camera 5 is placed in front of the subject, and a collimator is placed behind the subject in opposition thereto. An image system 12 comprising an X-ray tube 1 with 2 is attached to a C-arm 6 held by a C-arm holding unit 7, and the image tube 4, the X-ray tube 1, and the like around the body axis of the subject. Can be slid and rotated together with the C arm 6 in the direction indicated by the arrow A. The video system support unit 8 holds the C arm holding unit 7 and moves on the guide 9 in the direction indicated by the arrow B with respect to the subject. Then, the gondola 10 rotates on the base 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow C, and the fluoroscopic imaging stand can be raised and lowered to the standing position.

Further, the video system support unit 8 can rotate the X-ray tube 1 and the image tube 4 by holding the C-arm holding unit 7 and rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow F. Moreover, the top plate 3 can be moved to the left and right in the direction indicated by the arrow E, and the top plate 3 can be moved up and down by the top plate support portion (not shown) in the direction indicated by the arrow D. And the said mechanism is installed on the base 11 (for example, refer nonpatent literature 1).
Further, the conventional C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus includes a surgical C-arm type apparatus. These devices include a movable C-arm carriage type in a surgical operating room, and a C-arm suspended from a ceiling (for example, see Patent Document 1).

In order to slide and rotate the C arm 6 on the C arm holding portion 7 in the direction indicated by the arrow A, a timing belt is used.
FIG. 7 shows a cross section in a state where the timing belt 31 is hung on the C-arm 6. A timing belt 31 having a tooth-shaped groove is hung along the circumference of the arc of the C arm 6, bent at the end of the C arm 6, a hole is made in the timing belt 31, and the belt fixing bracket 32 is interposed. The bolt 33 is fixed to the C arm 6 side. Then, a tensile force in the direction indicated by the arrow is applied to the timing belt 31, and the C arm 6 slides and rotates.
"Shimadzu review" Shimadzu Corporation March 27, 1998 Vol. 55 No. 2 p133-142 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-70918 (page 3, FIG. 1)

The conventional C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus is configured as described above, but the tension force of the timing belt 31 is directly applied to the bolt 33, and not only the shearing force but also the bending / tensile force is always applied to the bolt 33. Therefore, for the sake of safety, the diameter of the bolt 33 must be increased so as not to break. However, the strength of the timing belt 31 itself is greatly reduced due to the holes in the timing belt 31. Further, since the timing belt 31 is supported by the holes, stress concentration occurs in the belt hole portions.
Therefore, a large timing belt 31 is selected to ensure the strength of the timing belt 31, and there is a problem that the structure including the bolt 33 is large and inefficient.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a C-arm type X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus capable of improving the strength of the fixing portion of the timing belt in a compact manner with a simple structure. Objective.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus of the present invention, an X-ray tube and an X-ray image receiving unit are arranged opposite to each other at both ends of the C arm, and the C arm is used as an arm holding unit. A C-arm X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus that is held and slidably rotates on an arm holding portion in an arc direction, a timing belt with a tooth pattern for driving a C-arm arranged along the C-arm, and an end of the C-arm A timing belt guide fixed to a portion; and a rod around which the timing belt is wound; one end of the timing belt is wound around the rod and reversed along the guide; And teeth of the timing belt in front of the rod are meshed and fixed on the guide.

  The C-arm X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus of the present invention is provided with an elongated hole into which the rod is inserted in the vicinity of the guide of the C-arm, and the rod is configured to be movable with the elongated hole as a guide. The elongated hole is formed in a direction to be loaded with the tensile force of the timing belt, and the rod is reversed with respect to the guide fixed to the C-arm by moving in the loaded direction. It is formed so that the timing belt can be inserted and fixed.

  The C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus of the present invention is configured as described above, and a toothed timing belt for driving the C-arm is disposed along the outer periphery of the C-arm, and the belt-sliding belt is disposed at the end of the C-arm. A guide rod, a movable rod around which the timing belt is wound, and a long hole on the C arm side where the rod can move in a direction to be loaded by the tensile force of the timing belt are provided at the end of the C arm. Then, with the timing belt loosened, one end of the timing belt is wound around the rod in the gap between the rod and the guide fixed to the C-arm. Thereafter, tension is applied to the end of the timing belt so that the timing pulley for rotating the C-arm and the timing belt are not detached by the belt tension mechanism of the device attached to the other end of the timing belt.

  As a result, a tensile force is always applied to the rod, and the end of the timing belt is sandwiched and fixed between the rod and the parts fixed to the C arm. The tooth surface of the fixed timing belt end and the tooth surface of the timing belt wound around the rod are engaged with each other so that the timing belt does not come off.

The C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus of the present invention is configured as described above, and the timing belt is efficiently loaded on the entire surface on the guide of the C-arm end because the tensile force of the timing belt is uniformly applied to the entire surface. Can be fixed. Compared to the conventional method of drilling a hole in the timing belt, bending it with a fixing bracket, and fixing it to the C-arm end with a bolt, this method meshes the timing belt teeth on the guide surface of the C-arm end. Since the load is uniformly applied to the entire surface without processing the timing belt, the strength of the timing belt fixing portion is improved.
Further, the timing belt length can be easily adjusted by simply changing the meshing position of the teeth, and a commercially available belt can be used as it is because the timing belt does not require additional hole machining, which is economical.
And since it can fix only by engaging the tooth surface of a timing belt, a structure can be made compact.

  The C-arm X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus of the present invention has a compact structure in which the timing belt for slidingly rotating the C-arm is engaged with a tooth-shaped surface that is uniformly loaded on the entire surface on the guide of the C-arm end, We realized a device that improved the strength of the fixed part of the timing belt.

  An embodiment of the C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus, FIG. 2 shows a fixing portion of the timing belt 21 at the end of the C-arm 6 of the C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus, and FIG. A method of sandwiching the timing belt 21 in the fixed portion is shown, (a) shows a side surface of the end portion of the C arm 6, and (b) shows a state in which the timing belt 21 is sandwiched.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the C-arm type X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus of the present invention has an X-ray tube 1 with a collimator 2 attached to one end of a C-arm 6 and a TV attached to the other end of the C-arm 6. The image tube 4 with the camera 5 and the video system 12 (X-ray tube 1, image tube 4) are attached to both ends, and the slide groove of the C-arm holding portion 7 is formed in the direction of arrow A by implementing the C-arm drive mechanism of the present invention. A C-arm 6 that rotates and slides, a C-arm holder 7 that holds the C-arm 6 and rotates on the video system support 8 in the direction of arrow F, and holds the C-arm holder 7 and moves on the guide 9 in the direction of arrow B From the video system support unit 8 that moves in the direction C, the gondola 10 that mounts the guide 9 on the base 11 and rotates in the direction of arrow C, and the top plate 3 that carries the subject and moves in the direction of arrow E and arrow D Composed.

  The end of the C-arm drive mechanism includes a timing belt 21 having a tooth shape for transmitting a tensile force to the end of the C-arm 6 shown in FIG. 2 and a belt fixing bracket fixed to the end of the C-arm 6. 22 and a rod 25 perpendicular to the end face that moves in the direction of the tensile force of the timing belt 21 along a long hole 26 provided at the end of the C-arm 6 shown in FIG.

  The difference between this C-arm X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus and the conventional apparatus is that the conventional apparatus has a tooth-shaped groove along the circumference of the arc of the C-arm 6 as shown in FIG. A belt 31 is hung, bent at the end of the C arm 6, and fixed to the C arm 6 side with a bolt 33 via a belt fixing bracket 32. On the other hand, in the C-arm type X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus, a timing belt 21 with a tooth pattern for driving the C arm is arranged along the outer periphery of the C arm 6 shown in FIG. 6, a belt sliding guide 22 a of the belt fixing bracket 22 fixed to the end of the belt 6, a movable rod 25 around which the timing belt 21 is wound, and a rod 25 on the C arm 6 side. A long hole 26 shown in FIG. 3 is provided at the end of the C arm 6 so that it can move in the direction of being loaded with force.

Then, with the timing belt 21 loosened, one end of the timing belt 21 is wound around the rod 25 and folded back in the gap 27 between the rod 25 and the guide 22a of the belt fixing bracket 22 fixed to the C-arm 6. Thereafter, the tension is controlled so that the timing pulley (not shown) for rotating the C-arm 6 and the timing belt 21 are not detached by the belt tension mechanism (not shown) of the device attached to the other end of the timing belt 21. Applied to the end of the belt 21.
As a result, a tensile force is always applied to the rod 25, and the end portion of the timing belt 21 is sandwiched between gaps 27 between the rod 25 and a part (such as a guide 22 a) fixed to the C arm 6. Then, the tooth surface of the end portion of the timing belt 21 and the tooth surface of the timing belt 21 wound around the rod 25 are engaged with each other by the engagement portion 24 shown in FIG. When it is pulled, the meshing portion 24 moves in the direction of the tensile force, and the rod 25 moves above the elongated hole 26 shown in FIG. 3B, the folded timing belt 21 is sandwiched between the rod 25 and the guide 22a of the belt fixing bracket 22, and the timing belt 21 is engaged with the rod 25 while being engaged. Fixed.

Next, each component of this apparatus will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the video system 12 includes an X-ray tube mounting bracket (not shown) and an image tube mounting bracket (not shown) mounted on the inner upper and lower sides of the C-arm 6. An image tube 4 having a line tube 1 and a TV camera 5 is mounted so as to face each other.
The X-ray tube 1 is attached to one end of the C-arm 6, the collimator 2 is attached to the X-ray emission port, and a large-capacity X-ray tube having a large anode storage heat capacity is used. A system is often used in which oil is circulated through a heat exchanger attached to the outside and cooled. Therefore, it becomes heavy. And the outside is covered with a protective cover.

  The image tube 4 has a fixed visual field type and a variable visual field type. In the variable visual field type, the visual field can be switched, for example, 31 cm / 23 cm / 15 cm, so that it can be used by switching according to the size of the region of interest. is there. In the fixed visual field type, 23 cm (9 inches), 31 cm (12 inches), and the like are often used. Fluoroscopy and digital photography using the image tube 4 are performed. As the TV camera 5, a camera using a CCD image sensor is used. Then, digital processing is performed and stored in the TV camera system. The total weight of the image tube 4 and the TV camera 5 is balanced with the weight of the X-ray tube 1.

  The C-arm 6 holds a heavy image system 12 including an X-ray tube 1 having a collimator 2 and an image tube 4 having a TV camera 5, and is arranged around the body axis of the subject placed on the top 3. The image system 12 is rotated (arrow F) around a horizontal axis that is held by the arm holding portion 7 and slides (arrow A) or perpendicular to the body axis of the subject.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the C-arm drive mechanism, where (a) shows a mechanism corresponding to claim 1 and (b) shows a mechanism corresponding to claim 2.
(A) is a timing belt 21 with a tooth pattern for driving a C arm arranged along the C arm 6, and a guide 22a for the timing belt 21 fixed to the plates 6a and 6b at the end of the C arm 6. And a rod 25 around which the timing belt 21 is wound. One end of the timing belt 21 is reversed around the rod 25 along the winding guide 22a, and the teeth of the timing belt 21 and the timing belt 21 before the rod 25 are reversed. It meshes on the guide 22 a and is fixed by the meshing portion 24.
(B) is provided with an elongated hole 26 into which the rod 25 is inserted in the vicinity of the guide 22a provided on the plates 6a and 6b at the end of the C arm 6, and the rod 25 is configured to be movable with the elongated hole 26 as a guide. At the same time, the long hole 26 is formed in a direction to be loaded by the tensile force of the timing belt 21 and is fixed to the plates 6a and 6b at the end of the C arm 6 by moving in the direction in which the rod 25 is loaded. It is formed so that the timing belt 21 reversed with the guide 22a can be inserted and fixed.
The C-arm drive mechanism includes a belt tension mechanism (not shown) of the apparatus, a timing pulley (not shown) that rotates the C-arm 6, and teeth that transmit a tensile force to the end of the C-arm 6 shown in FIG. 4. Timing belt 21 having a mold, guide 22a of belt fixing bracket 22 fixed to plates 6a and 6b provided on both sides of the end of C arm 6, and end of C arm 6 shown in FIG. The long holes 26 formed on the plates 6a and 6b provided on both sides of the belt portion 26 are composed of rods 25 hung on both the long holes 26 that move in the direction of the tensile force of the timing belt 21, and the tension is C-arm 6 Is transmitted to the end.
The rod 25 has a flange (not shown) or the like on the end surface of the rod 25 so that the long hole 26 processed in the plates 6a and 6b on the end surface of the C arm 6 can be moved vertically to the plates 6a and 6b. And a mechanism for preventing the rod 25 from dropping off from the long holes 26 on both sides is provided, and the rod 25 can be moved along the grooves of the long holes 26 holding the rod 25 on both sides. The direction of the long hole 26 provided in the plates 6a and 6b is processed in the direction of the tensile force of the timing belt 21, and the tensile force of the timing belt 21 is applied to the plates 6a and 6b that hold the rod 25 at both ends. Structure. As a fixing means, the rod 25 is stopped at the end surface above the groove of the long hole 26 by a tensile force, and the tensile force of the timing belt 21 is the timing belt 21 sandwiched between the meshing portion 24, the guide 22 a and the rod 25 shown in FIG. 4. Finally, the timing belt 21 is loaded and fixed to the rod 25 in a state where the timing belt 21 is hung on the rod 25.

The video system support unit 8 rotates (arrow F) the video system 12 through the C arm holding unit 7 and the C arm 6 around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the body axis of the subject and guides in the body axis direction. The video system 12 reciprocates (arrow B) along the C arm 6 and the C arm holding unit 7 along the line 9.
The gondola 10 is a gondola for rotating the apparatus upside down. A guide 9 is attached on the base 11, and the gondola 10 is rotated upside down in the direction of arrow C via the video system support unit 8, the C arm holding unit 7, and the C arm 6. To do.
The top plate 3 is supported in a cantilevered manner from the apparatus main body side, and moves in the direction of arrow E and the direction of arrow D on the subject.

A modification of this apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 5 shows an end cross-sectional view of the C-arm drive mechanism. The apparatus includes a timing belt 21 having a tooth shape for transmitting a tensile force to the end of the C arm 6, a C arm fixed side rod 28 fixed to the end of the C arm 6, and a C shown in FIG. It is composed of a rod 25 perpendicular to the end face that moves in the direction of the tensile force of the timing belt 21 along a long hole 26 provided at the end of the arm 6.
In the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the belt fixing bracket 22 is provided with a plate-shaped guide 22 a, but this apparatus has a C-arm fixed side rod shown in FIG. 5 in the direction perpendicular to the end surface of the C-arm 6. There are 28 rods. The timing belt 21 is guided by the rod shape of the C-arm fixed side rod 28, and the rod 25 moves along the long hole 26 shown in FIG. 28, the timing belt 21 approaches, the both teeth molds easily mesh with each other at the meshing portion 24, and when the rod 25 is pulled in the direction of the tensile force of the timing belt 21, the meshing portion 24 is pulled. The rod 25 moves in the force direction and stops at the end face above the elongated hole 26 shown in FIG. Then, the folded timing belt 21 is sandwiched between the rod 25 and the C-arm fixed side rod 28, and the timing belt 21 is engaged with and fixed to the rod 25 in a meshed state.

Next, the operation and operation of this apparatus will be described.
First, the operator places the top plate 3 shown in FIG. 1 in a horizontal position and lowers the height of the top plate 3 (in the direction of arrow D). The subject is placed on the top 3 and X-ray fluoroscopy is performed. The video system 12 is moved on the guide 9 in the body axis direction of the subject (arrow B direction). Next, the top plate 3 is moved in the front-rear direction (arrow E direction). Then, the C arm 6 is slid and rotated along the guide of the C arm holding portion 7 around the body axis of the subject (in the direction of arrow A). The above operation is repeated to position the subject's diagnostic site.

  The slide rotation of the C arm 6 (arrow A direction) is performed by a C arm drive mechanism. The C-arm drive mechanism is provided with a belt tension mechanism (not shown) in the apparatus, and a tensile force is applied to the timing belt 21 shown in FIG. 2 by a timing pulley (not shown) that rotates the C-arm 6. A timing belt 21 having a tooth shape for transmitting a tensile force to the end portion of the C arm 6 extends along the guide 22a of the belt fixing bracket 22 fixed to the end portion of the C arm 6 as shown in FIG. The rod 25 moves through the hole 26 in the direction of the tensile force of the timing belt 21. The timing belt 21 is sandwiched in a gap 27 (shown in FIG. 3) between the rod 25 and the guide 22a. The timing belt 21 is closely contacted with the timing belt 21 by a tensile force, and the tooth shapes mesh with each other along the guide 22a. Are fixed by the meshing portion 24. Then, the C-arm 6 slides and rotates due to the tensile force.

In the above embodiment, the mechanism at one end of the C arm 6 has been described. However, a similar mechanism is provided at the other end of the C arm 6, and the C arm 6 has the arrow A shown in FIG. Rotate slide in direction.
In the above-described embodiment, the C-arm type X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus of the floor installation type has been described. The present invention can be similarly applied to a C-arm drive mechanism such as a mold system.

  The present invention relates to a C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus for medical X-ray diagnosis, and more particularly to a drive mechanism for a C-arm that holds an image system. Further, as an application example of the present invention, the present invention can also be applied to an apparatus provided with a C arm and a mechanism for slidingly rotating on the C arm holding part in an apparatus other than medical X-ray diagnosis.

It is explanatory drawing which showed the general appearance of the C-arm type X-ray fluoroscopic imaging apparatus of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed one Example of the C arm type | mold X-ray fluoroscope of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the state which pinches | interposes the timing belt of the C arm type | formula fluoroscopy apparatus of this invention. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a C-arm type fluoroscopic imaging apparatus of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the modification of the C arm type | mold X-ray fluoroscope of this invention. The perspective view for demonstrating a C arm type X-ray fluoroscopic imaging apparatus is shown. The fixing part of the timing belt of the conventional C arm type | formula fluoroscopic imaging apparatus is shown.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 X-ray tube 2 Collimator 3 Top plate 4 Image tube 5 TV camera 6 C arm 6a Plate 6b Plate 7 C arm holding part 8 Video system support part 9 Guide 10 Gondola 11 Base 12 Video system 21 Timing belt 22 Belt fixing bracket 22a Guide 24 Engagement section 25 Rod 26 Slot 27 Clearance 28 C-arm fixed side rod 31 Timing belt 32 Belt fixing bracket 33 Bolt

Claims (2)

  A C-arm X-ray fluoroscopic imaging apparatus in which an X-ray tube and an X-ray image receiving unit are arranged opposite to each other at both ends of a C-arm, and the C-arm is held by an arm holding unit and slidably rotates on the arm holding unit in an arc direction. A timing belt with a tooth pattern for driving a C arm arranged along the C arm, a guide for the timing belt fixed to an end of the C arm, and a rod around which the timing belt is wound. One end of the timing belt is wound around the rod and inverted along the guide, and the inverted timing belt and the teeth of the timing belt before the rod are meshed and fixed on the guide. A C-arm X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus characterized by the above.   An elongated hole into which the rod is inserted is provided near the guide of the C arm, the rod is configured to be movable with the elongated hole as a guide, and the elongated hole is loaded with a tensile force of the timing belt. And the rod is moved in the loading direction so that the inverted timing belt can be sandwiched and fixed with the guide fixed to the C-arm. The C-arm type X-ray fluoroscopic apparatus according to claim 1.

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