JP6958851B2 - X-ray computed tomography equipment - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relates to X-ray computer tomography equipment.

The mainstream of X-ray computed tomography equipment is recumbent imaging, but standing imaging in which a subject is imaged under a weight load is desired.

When performing standing photography, it is necessary to stand up the subject and to wear the equipment to maintain the posture of the subject in order to maintain the posture of the subject. In comparison, the shooting workflow may deteriorate.

In addition, when installing an X-ray computed tomography device that performs standing imaging in the CT imaging room of a hospital, the subject must bend back and enter the opening of the gantry due to the limitation of the ceiling height of the CT imaging room. Therefore, it takes more time than the recumbent imaging, and the comfort of the subject is inferior.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-006329 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 08-266650 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-139872

Object of embodiments is to provide a convenient and safe sitting position shooting or standing position photographing can be performed with a X-ray computer tomography equipment.

The X-ray computer tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an X-ray tube that generates X-rays, an X-ray detector that detects X-rays, an X-ray source arranged across an opening, and the X-ray detection. A pedestal having a vessel, a pedestal support portion that movably supports the pedestal in a state where the central axis of the opening faces substantially perpendicular to the floor surface, and the state. A fixture capable of fixing a transporter of a subject in a predetermined region below the opening of the gantry, and a first path provided on the floor surface for guiding the transporter from one side to the predetermined region. It includes a guide path having a second path that guides the predetermined region to the other side.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the floor surface on which the X-ray computed tomography apparatus is installed. FIG. 4 is an overview view of the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment during standing position imaging. FIG. 5 is an overview view of the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment at the time of sitting position imaging. FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the subject carrier according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the subject carrier of FIG. FIG. 8 is a side view of the subject carrier of FIG. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the subject carrier of FIG. FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the subject carrier of FIG. FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of the subject carrier of FIG. 6 in which the subject is sitting. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the cross-linking rod of the subject carrier according to the present embodiment and the movable range of the gantry main body. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a state of retracting the subject carrier for standing imaging according to the present embodiment. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the subject support of FIG. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the shapes of the columnar body and the columnar body insertion port of the subject support tool of FIG. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a floodlight provided on the gantry main body according to the present embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram schematically showing a flow of positioning using the upper floodlight of FIG. FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically showing a flow of positioning using the lower floodlight of FIG.

Hereinafter, the X-ray computed tomography apparatus and the subject carrier for X-ray computed tomography according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment has a gantry 10 and a console 100. For example, the gantry 10 is installed in the CT imaging room, and the console 100 is installed in the control room adjacent to the CT examination room. The gantry 10 and the console 100 are connected by wire or wirelessly so as to be able to communicate with each other. The gantry 10 is a scanning device having a configuration for performing X-ray computed tomography (hereinafter, referred to as X-ray CT imaging) of a subject in a standing position or a sitting position. The console 100 is a computer that controls the gantry 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the gantry 10 has a gantry main body 11 and a support column 13. The gantry main body 11 is a substantially cylindrical structure in which an opening 15 is formed. As shown in FIG. 1, the gantry main body 11 accommodates an X-ray tube 17 and an X-ray detector 19 arranged so as to face each other with the opening 15 interposed therebetween.

More specifically, the gantry main body 11 includes a main frame (not shown) formed of a metal such as aluminum, and a rotating frame 21 rotatably supported by the main frame around the central axis A1 via bearings or the like. Further has. An annular electrode (not shown) is provided at a contact portion of the main frame with the rotating frame 21. A conductive slider (not shown) is attached to the contact portion of the main frame so as to make sliding contact with the annular electrode. The rotating frame 21 is a metal frame formed in a ring shape by a metal such as aluminum, and for example, an X-ray tube 17 and an X-ray detector 19 are attached.

The rotating frame 21 receives power from the rotation driving device 23 and rotates around the central axis A1 of the opening 15 at a constant angular velocity. The rotation drive device 23 generates power for rotating the rotation frame 21 according to the control from the gantry control circuit 25. The rotation drive device 23 generates power by driving at a rotation speed corresponding to the duty ratio and the like of the drive signal from the gantry control circuit 25. The rotation drive device 23 is realized by, for example, a motor such as a direct drive motor or a servo motor. The rotation drive device 23 is housed in, for example, the gantry main body 11.

The support column 13 is a base that supports the gantry body 11 away from the floor surface. The support column 13 has a columnar shape such as a columnar shape or a prismatic shape. The strut 13 is formed of any substance such as plastic or metal. The support column 13 is attached to, for example, a side surface portion of the gantry main body 11. In order to take an X-ray CT image of the subject in a standing position, the support column 13 holds the gantry main body 11 in the direction perpendicular to the floor surface in a posture in which the central axis A1 of the opening 15 is maintained in the direction perpendicular to the floor surface. Sliding support.

Typically, the columns 13 are provided on both sides of the gantry body 11. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. For example, one support column 13 may be connected to only one side of both side portions of the gantry main body 11. Further, although the support column 13 has a columnar shape, the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the support column 13 may have any shape such as a U shape as long as it can support at least one side portion of the gantry body.

The support column 13 does not need to fix the gantry body 11 so that the central axis A1 faces perpendicular to the floor surface. That is, the support column 13 may be configured to rotatably support the gantry main body 11 around a horizontal axis (hereinafter, referred to as a tilt axis) parallel to the floor surface. In this case, the support column 13 and the gantry main body 11 may be connected to each other via bearings or the like so that the gantry main body 11 can rotate around the tilt axis. This makes it possible to perform standing position photography, sitting position photography, and lying position photography on a single gantry 10.

As shown in FIG. 1, the support column 13 accommodates a drive device (hereinafter, referred to as a support device drive device) 27 for sliding the gantry main body 11 in the vertical direction. The strut drive device 27 generates power for sliding the gantry main body 11 in the vertical direction according to the control from the gantry control circuit 25. Specifically, the support column drive device 27 generates power by driving at a rotation speed corresponding to the duty ratio of the drive signal from the gantry control circuit 25 and the like. The support column 13 receives power from the support column drive device 27 and slides the gantry main body 11 in the vertical direction with respect to the support column 13. The strut drive device 27 is realized by a motor such as a servo motor, for example.

As shown in FIG. 1, the X-ray tube 17 generates X-rays by receiving a high voltage applied from the high voltage generator 31. The high voltage generator 31 is attached to, for example, the rotating frame 21. The high voltage generator 31 generates a high voltage to be applied to the X-ray tube 17 under the control of the gantry control circuit 25 from the electric power supplied from the power supply device (not shown) of the gantry main body 11 via the annular electrode. The high voltage generator 31 and the X-ray tube 17 are connected via a high voltage cable (not shown). The high voltage generated by the high voltage generator 31 is applied to the X-ray tube 17 via the high voltage cable.

The X-ray detector 19 detects X-rays generated from the X-ray tube 17 and transmitted through the subject P. The X-ray detector 19 is equipped with a plurality of X-ray detection elements (not shown) arranged on a two-dimensional curved surface. Each X-ray detection element detects X-rays from the X-ray tube 17 and converts them into an electric signal having a peak value corresponding to the intensity of the detected X-rays. Each X-ray detection element has, for example, a scintillator and a photoelectric conversion element. The scintillator receives X-rays and emits fluorescence. The photoelectric conversion element converts the generated fluorescence into charge pulses. The charge pulse has a peak value according to the intensity of X-rays. Specifically, as the photoelectric conversion element, a circuit element such as a photomultiplier tube or a photodiode that converts fluorescence into an electric signal is used. The X-ray detector 19 according to the present embodiment is not limited to an indirect conversion type detector that temporarily converts X-rays into fluorescence and then converts them into an electric signal, and directly converts X-rays into an electric signal. It may be a direct conversion type detector.

The data collection circuit 33 collects digital data indicating the intensity of X-rays attenuated by the subject for each view. The data collection circuit 33 is realized, for example, by a semiconductor integrated circuit in which an integrator circuit provided for each of a plurality of X-ray detection elements and an A / D converter are mounted in parallel. The data collection circuit 33 is connected to the X-ray detector 19 in the gantry main body 11. The integrator circuit integrates the electrical signal from the X-ray detector over a predetermined view period to generate an integrator signal. The A / D converter A / D-converts the generated integrated signal to generate digital data having a data value corresponding to the peak value of the integrated signal. The converted digital data is called raw data. Raw data is a set of digital values of X-ray intensity identified by the channel number, column number, and view number indicating the collected view of the source X-ray detector. The raw data is supplied to the console 100 via, for example, a non-contact data transmission device (not shown) housed in the gantry body 11.

The gantry control circuit 25 controls the high voltage generator 31, the rotation drive device 23, the support column drive device 27, and the data collection circuit 33 in accordance with a command from the console 100. The gantry control circuit 25 has a processing unit (processor) such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) and a storage device (Random Access Memory) such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory) as hardware resources. It has a memory). The gantry control circuit 25 includes an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and another complex programmable logic device (FPGA). It may be realized by CPLD) or Simple Programmable Logic Device (SPLD). The processing device realizes the above function by reading and realizing a program stored in the storage device. Instead of storing the program in the storage device, the program may be directly incorporated in the circuit of the processing device. In this case, the processing device realizes the above function by reading and executing a program incorporated in the circuit.

As shown in FIG. 1, the console 100 includes an arithmetic circuit 101, a display circuit 103, an input circuit 105, and a storage circuit 107. Data communication between the arithmetic circuit 101, the display circuit 103, the input circuit 105, and the storage circuit 107 is performed via the bus.

The arithmetic circuit 101 has a processor such as a CPU, MPU, and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) and a memory such as a ROM or RAM as hardware resources. The arithmetic circuit 101 realizes the preprocessing function 111, the reconstruction function 113, the image processing function 115, and the system control function 117 by executing various programs.

In the preprocessing function 111, the arithmetic circuit 101 performs preprocessing such as logarithmic conversion on the raw data transmitted from the gantry 10. The raw data after preprocessing is called projection data.

In the reconstruction function 113, the arithmetic circuit 101 generates a CT image expressing the spatial distribution of CT values with respect to the subject based on the projection data generated by the preprocessing function 111. As the image reconstruction algorithm, an existing image reconstruction algorithm such as an FBP (filtered back projection) method or a successive approximation reconstruction method may be used.

In the image processing function 115, the arithmetic circuit 101 performs various image processing on the CT image reconstructed by the reconstruction function 113. For example, the arithmetic circuit 101 performs three-dimensional image processing such as volume rendering, surface volume rendering, image value projection processing, MPR (Multi-Planer Reconstruction) processing, and CPR (Curved MPR) processing on the CT image to display an image. To generate.

In the system control function 117, the arithmetic circuit 101 comprehensively controls the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment. Specifically, the arithmetic circuit 101 reads out the control program stored in the storage circuit 107, expands it on the memory, and controls each part of the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the expanded control program.

The preprocessing function 111, the reconstruction function 113, the image processing function 115, and the system control function 117 may be mounted by the arithmetic circuit 101 of one board, or may be distributed and mounted by the arithmetic circuits 101 of a plurality of boards. May be done.

The display circuit 103 displays various data such as a two-dimensional CT image and a display image. Specifically, the display circuit 103 includes a display interface circuit and a display device. The display interface circuit converts the data representing the display target into a video signal. The video signal is supplied to the display device. The display device displays a video signal representing a display target. As the display device, for example, a CRT display, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, an LED display, a plasma display, or any other display known in the art can be appropriately used.

The input circuit 105 inputs various commands from the user. Specifically, the input circuit 105 has an input device and an input interface circuit. The input device receives various commands from the user. As an input device, a keyboard, a mouse, various switches, and the like can be used. The input interface circuit supplies the output signal from the input device to the arithmetic circuit 101 via the bus. The input circuit 105 may be provided not only on the console 100 but also on the gantry 10.

The storage circuit 107 is a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or an integrated circuit storage device that stores various information. Further, the storage circuit 107 may be a drive device or the like that reads and writes various information to and from a portable storage medium such as a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive, and a flash memory. For example, the storage circuit 107 stores data of a CT image or a display image. Further, the storage circuit 107 stores the control program and the like according to the present embodiment.

Hereinafter, the X-ray computed tomography apparatus and the subject carrier for X-ray computed tomography according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.

The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment can easily perform the positioning of the standing position imaging by using the subject carrier for the X-ray computed tomography. In addition, the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment enables sitting position imaging using the subject carrier, and also enables easy positioning of sitting position imaging. That is, the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment provides a new workflow for sitting and standing imaging using the subject carrier. The sitting position imaging refers to X-ray CT imaging of a subject in a sitting posture. The sitting position imaging according to the present embodiment is an X-ray CT imaging performed while the subject is placed on the carrier.

Although lying down is the mainstream of current X-ray computed tomography, tomographic images, stereoscopic images, and dynamic images of various parts of the human body under the weight load of the subject are clinically required. This is because the standing or loading position in the orthopedic field is a more physiological position of the spine and joints as compared with the recumbent position, and more reflects the symptoms and pathological conditions. Standing imaging is extremely useful in the diagnosis and evaluation of locomotor disorders, and has a very large clinical impact. An X-ray computed tomography apparatus capable of standing imaging can be an epoch-making and innovative diagnostic apparatus because it can acquire the positions of physiological bones and joints as three-dimensional information. In addition, in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the respiratory region, it is clinically possible to capture the state of maximum inspiration by taking CT tomographic images and dynamic images in the standing or loaded position. It becomes a target value. At present, it is difficult to distinguish between maximum inspiration and some exhalation, and a spirometer (respiratory function flow meter) is required. According to this embodiment, the spirometer can be replaced by standing or sitting position imaging.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the floor surface 50 on which the X-ray computed tomography apparatus is installed. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a pair of columns 13 are erected on the floor surface 50. The pair of columns 13 support the gantry main body 11 in a standing position so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The standing posture of the gantry main body 11 is a state in which the central axis A1 of the opening 15 of the gantry main body 11 faces substantially perpendicular to the floor surface. Here, the direction perpendicular to the floor surface 50 is horizontally orthogonal to the Z-axis direction and the Z-axis direction, and the arrangement direction of the pair of columns 13 is horizontally orthogonal to the X-axis direction, the Z-axis direction, and the X-axis direction. The direction will be referred to as the Y-axis direction. Further, the −Z axis direction is referred to as downward, the + Z axis direction is referred to as upward, the −Y axis direction is referred to as forward, and the + Y axis direction is referred to as rear. The subject enters below the gantry 10 from the front.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a protective cover 51 is provided below the gantry main body 11. The protective cover 51 is provided on the inner peripheral side of the outer peripheral edge 151 of the projection of the opening 15 of the gantry main body 11 having a standing posture. This is to avoid interference between the gantry main body 11 and the protective cover 51. The protective cover 51 partitions the space area R1 inside the movement path in the vertical direction of the opening 15 of the gantry body 11 and the space area R2 outside. Hereinafter, the space area inside the movement path of the opening 15 will be referred to as the space inside the opening R1. The protective cover 51 is transparent so that the space R1 in the opening can be visually recognized from the outside. For example, the protective cover 51 is made of an acrylic material or the like. The protective cover 51 has a door 53 that can be opened and closed for the subject P to move back and forth between the space inside the opening R1 and the space outside the opening R2 (hereinafter, referred to as the space outside the opening) R2. For example, the right side portion 55 and the left side portion 55 of the protective cover 51 are fixed, and the front portion 53 and the rear portion 53 are formed as an opening / closing door. A track of the opening / closing door 53 is provided along the right side portion 55 and the left side portion 55. The opening / closing door 53 is provided so as to be slidable along the track. The opening / closing door 53 is made of the same material as the protective cover 51, for example, an acrylic material. The subject P is X-ray CT-photographed by the gantry main body 11 in the space R1 in the opening.

A subject support 57 is provided inside the protective cover 51. The subject support 57 is an instrument erected on the floor surface 50 to support the subject P in a standing or lying position. The subject support 57 has, for example, a pair of columnar bodies 57. The pair of columnar bodies 57 are erected on the floor surface 50. A pair of insertion openings corresponding to the pair of columnar bodies 57 are provided on the floor surface. The pair of columnar bodies 57 are fixed to the floor surface 50 by being inserted into the pair of insertion openings. Although the subject support 57 has a pair of columnar bodies 57, it may have one columnar body 57. Further, the columnar body 57 is not limited to the columnar body as long as it can support the subject P, and may have any shape. As will be described later, the columnar body 57 can be installed at an arbitrary position.

A guide path 59 is provided on the floor surface 50 so as to penetrate the opening space R1 from the front to the rear. The guide path 59 is formed to guide the subject carrier according to the present embodiment. Hereinafter, the guide path 59 will be referred to as a carrier guide 59. The transport tool guide 59 may be a mark marked on the floor surface, or may be a rail that guides the traveling of the subject transport tool. Specifically, the transport tool guide 59 is divided into a front portion 591 and a rear portion 593 with reference to the space R1 in the opening. The front portion 591 will be referred to as a front guide, and the rear portion 593 will be referred to as a rear guide. The front guide 591 and the rear guide 593 may be separated by the opening space R1 or may be connected to each other. The front guide 591 transports the subject P sitting on the subject carrier according to the present embodiment to the opening space R1 for X-ray CT imaging, or from the opening space R1 at the end of the X-ray CT imaging. It is used when leaving. The rear guide 593 is used to temporarily retract the subject carrier according to the present embodiment from the opening space R1 during standing shooting.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the floor surface 50 is provided with a fixture 61 (hereinafter, referred to as a floor-side fixture) as a positioning mechanism for the subject carrier according to the present embodiment. The floor-side fixture 61 fixes the subject carrier according to the present embodiment to the floor surface 50. The floor-side fixture 61 fixes the subject transporter so that the reference portion of the subject P seated on the subject transporter coincides with the anatomical reference point of the gantry main body 11. The details of the floor side fixture 61 will be described later.

FIG. 4 is an overview view of the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment during standing position imaging, and FIG. 5 is an overview view of the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment during sitting position imaging. .. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the subject P is positioned so that the anatomical reference point coincides with the central axis A1 of the opening 15.

As shown in FIG. 4, the subject P stands inside the protective cover 51, that is, in the space R1 in the opening during the standing position imaging. The opening / closing door 53 of the protective cover 51 is closed. The movable range RM1 of the gantry main body 11 at the time of standing shooting is defined from a predetermined upper limit height UL to a lower limit height LL1 near the floor surface. The upper limit height UL is designed according to the ceiling height of the CT imaging room, the height of the columns 13, and the like. In order to prevent the gantry main body 11 from moving below the lower limit height LL1, a mechanical stopper is provided at a position corresponding to the lower limit height LL1 of the support column 13. That is, the lower limit height LL1 in the standing position photographing is the mechanical lowering limit. During the standing position shooting, the gantry control circuit 25 moves the gantry main body 11 in the movable range RM1 from the upper limit height UL to the lower limit height LL1.

As shown in FIG. 5, the subject P is sitting on the subject carrier 70 at the time of sitting position imaging. As shown in FIG. 5, both the subject P and the subject carrier 70 are arranged in the opening space R1. However, since the subject carrier 70 does not fit in the opening space R1, the protective cover 51 is opened. That is, at the time of sitting position imaging, the subject P and the subject carrier 70 are arranged so as to straddle the space R1 inside the opening and the space R2 outside the opening. The subject carrier 70 is fixed by the above-mentioned floor-side fixture 61 shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 so that the anatomical reference point of the subject P coincides with the central axis A1 of the opening 15. The movable range RM2 of the gantry main body 11 at the time of sitting position photography is defined from the upper limit height UL to a predetermined lower limit height LL2. The lower limit height LL2 is set to a height at which the subject sitting on the subject carrier 70 is not sandwiched. At the time of sitting position photography, the gantry control circuit 25 limits the movable range RM2 of the gantry main body 11 from the upper limit height UL to the lower limit height LL2. Specifically, an electrical or mechanical position sensor is provided at a position corresponding to the lower limit height LL2 of the support column 13. That is, the lower limit height LL2 in the sitting position photographing is the lowering limit due to the interlock. When the position sensor detects that the gantry main body 11 has reached the lower limit height LL2, the gantry control circuit 25 stops moving downward of the gantry main body 11. As a result, it is possible to prevent the gantry main body 11 from being pinched between the subject P and the subject carrier 70.

Next, the subject carrier according to the present embodiment will be described in detail. 6 is a front perspective view of the subject carrier 70, FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the subject carrier 70, FIG. 8 is a side view of the subject carrier 70, and FIG. 9 is a side view of the subject carrier 70. , FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the subject carrier 70, and FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of the subject carrier 70 on which the subject P sits.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, the subject carrier 70 according to the present embodiment is a manual wheelchair equipped with an alignment mechanism and a safety mechanism. Specifically, the subject carrier 70 has a seat plate 71 on which the subject P is seated. The seat plate 71 is supported by the seat plate support 73. A mechanism for adjusting the thickness of the seat plate 71 may be provided. By changing the thickness of the seat plate 71, it is possible to compensate for individual differences in the height of the subject P and change the photographable range. A plurality of seat plates 71 having different thicknesses may be prepared, and the seat plates 71 may be detachably provided on the seat plate support 73.
Wheels 75 are attached to the seat plate support 73. More specifically, the seat plate support 73 includes a pair of frames hanging from the rear of the seat plate 71 (hereinafter referred to as a rear frame) 731 and a frame further rearward than the rear frame 731 (hereinafter referred to as a rear auxiliary frame). It has a 733 (referred to as) and a pair of frames (hereinafter referred to as front frames) 735 hanging from the front of the seat plate. Wheels 751 are attached to the lower end of the rear frame 731, wheels (universal wheels) 753 are rotatably supported at the lower ends of the rear auxiliary frame 733, and wheels (universal wheels) 755 rotate at the lower ends of the front frame 735. It is supported as possible. Hereinafter, when the constituent members of the seat plate support 73 such as the frames 731, 733, and 735 are not distinguished, they are not distinguished and are simply referred to as the seat plate support 73.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, a back plate 77 is attached to the seat plate support 73. Specifically, a back plate 77 is detachably attached to the upper ends of the pair of rear frames 731. In the sitting position imaging, for example, the spine of the subject P sitting on the seat plate 71 is positioned so as to coincide with the anatomical reference point. This is because the distance from the body surface of the back to the spine varies from person to person. By changing the thickness of the spine 77, the position of the spine of the subject P with respect to the anatomical reference point can be adjusted. For example, a plurality of back plates 77 having different thicknesses are prepared, and the back plates 77 according to the physique of the subject are attached to the seat plate support 73. Alternatively, a mechanism capable of adjusting the thickness of the back plate 77 may be provided on the back plate 77 or the seat plate support 73. As such a thickness adjusting mechanism, for example, it is preferable to provide a mechanism for adjusting the thickness of the air bag provided on the back plate 77 by air pressure. Alternatively, a slide mechanism of the back plate 77 may be provided in order to adjust the position of the spine of the subject. Further, a plurality of back plates 77 having different shapes may be prepared. Thereby, the support method and the support height of the subject P can be arbitrarily changed.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, each front frame 735 is attached with a frame (hereinafter, referred to as a foot rest frame) 737 to which the foot rest plate 79 is attached. Specifically, the footrest frame 737 is bent in a substantially L shape. An intermediate portion of one portion 7371 is attached to the crown of the front frame 735 so that one portion 7371 is oriented substantially horizontal to the floor surface and the other portion 7373 is oriented toward the floor surface. A foot rest plate 79 is rotatably supported at the tip of the other portion 7373 of each foot rest frame 735. The foot of the subject P seated on the seat plate 71 is placed on the foot rest plate 79. The foot rest plate 79 is detachably provided on the foot rest frame 737. The foot rest frame 737 is detachably provided on the seat plate support 73. Further, it is preferable that the foot rest frame 737 is provided so that the length of the foot rest frame 737 can be adjusted with respect to the seat plate support 73. For example, the foot rest frame 737 may be directly connected to the seat plate support 73, or may be provided so that the angle can be adjusted by supporting the foot rest frame 737 via a rotation shaft.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, a support frame 739 is bridged below the front frame 735 and the footrest frame 737. A fixture 81 (hereinafter, a fixture on the carrier side) is attached to the middle portion of the support frame 739. Specifically, the transporter side fixture 81 has an accommodating frame 811 and a protrusion 813. The accommodating frame 811 accommodates the protrusion 813 so that it can be taken in and out. The accommodation frame 811 hangs down from the middle part of the support frame 739 toward the floor surface. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, a floor-side fixture 61 is provided at a predetermined position on the floor surface 50. The floor-side fixture 61 is an insertion port or an instrument having a shape that fits into the protrusion 813, and the protrusion 813 is an instrument having a shape that can be inserted into an insertion port provided on the floor surface. For example, the floor-side fixture 61 and the transporter-side fixture 81 may be realized by a positioning mechanism such as a pin / boss mechanism or a flange fixing.

In the floor-side fixture 61, the anatomical reference point (for example, the spine) of the subject P sitting on the seat plate 71 is located on the central axis A1 of the gantry body 11 when the protrusion 813 is inserted. It is positioned on the floor surface 50. In other words, when the protrusion 813 is inserted into the floor-side fixture 61, the back plate 77 and the back plate 77 so that the anatomical reference point of the subject P sitting on the seat plate 71 is located on the central axis A1. The positional relationship between the floor-side fixture 61 and the transporter-side fixture 81 is designed.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, the pair of footrest frames 737 are provided with an operation handle 83 for operating the subject carrier 70. The operation handle 83 is mainly used for operation by an assistant. The operation handle 83 is, for example, a rod-shaped member that projects forward from the foot rest frame 737. An operation lever 85 for operating the seat plate height adjusting mechanism 87 provided on the seat plate support 73 is attached below the operation handle 83. For example, by grasping and releasing the operating lever 85, the seat plate height adjusting mechanism 87 raises the height of the seat plate 71 by one step. When the seat plate 71 is pressed downward while the operating lever 85 is gripped, the seat plate height adjusting mechanism 87 lowers the seat plate 71. The height of the seat plate 71 is adjusted by the seat plate height adjusting mechanism 87 by grasping and releasing the operating lever 85, but the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, instead of gripping and releasing, the seat plate height adjusting mechanism 87 may be a handle whose height can be adjusted by turning. As another example, for example, instead of the operating lever 85, a button capable of adjusting the height of the seat plate 71 may be provided.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, an operation lever 89 for operating a brake mechanism (not shown) is attached below the other operation handle 83. For example, by grasping the operating lever 89, the brake pad is pressed against the wheel, and by releasing the operating lever 89, the brake pad is separated from the wheel.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, the seat plate support 73 is provided with cross-linking rods 90 erected on both sides of the seat plate support 73. Specifically, the cross-linking rod 90 is detachably installed on the upper portion 7371 of the pair of foot rest frames 737. The cross-linking rod 90 has a function of preventing the subject P from being pinched by the gantry main body 11. Therefore, the height of the cross-linking rod 90 from the floor surface is limited to the lower limit height LL2 of the movable range RM2 of the gantry main body 11 at the time of sitting position photography.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the cross-linking rod 90 of the subject carrier 70 and the movable range RM of the gantry main body 11. As shown in FIG. 12, the movable range RM1 of the gantry main body 11 during standing shooting is defined in the range from the upper limit UL to the lower limit LL1. The lower limit LL1 is set near the floor surface. The upper limit UL is set to an arbitrary height. The movable range RM2 of the gantry main body 11 at the time of sitting position photography is defined in the range from the upper limit UL to the lower limit LL2. The lower limit LL2 is set to substantially the same height as the height of the cross-linking rod 90 from the floor surface. The lower limit LL2 is not set to a height lower than the height of the cross-linking rod 90 from the floor surface 50 in order to avoid interference between the gantry main body 11 and the subject carrier 70.

The subject P is first seated on the seat plate 71 in a state where the cross-linking rod 90 is removed from the seat plate support 73. After that, the cross-linking rod 90 is attached to the seat plate support 73 so as to straddle both legs of the subject P seated on the seat plate 71 from above. That is, it is possible to prevent both legs of the subject P from being located above the cross-linking rod 90. In other words, the cross-linking rod 90 can limit the height of the highest portion (for example, the knee) of both legs from the floor surface 50 to the height of the cross-linking rod 90 from the floor surface 50. In the sitting position imaging, it is assumed that the body portion of the subject P fits in the opening space R1, but the legs and the like of the subject P do not fit in the opening space R1. Therefore, in order to prevent the subject P from being pinched by the gantry main body 11, the lower limit height LL2 of the movable range RM2 for sitting position imaging is set to be equal to or higher than the height of the cross-linking rod 90 from the floor surface. Further, as described above, the gantry control circuit 25 raises the gantry body 11 to the lower limit height by interlock control even when the gantry main body 11 is instructed to move below the lower limit height LL2 during sitting position photography. Can be fastened to LL2. As described above, in the present embodiment, double safety measures are taken to prevent the subject P from being pinched. If the cross-linking rod 90 cannot be attached to the seat plate support 73 because the subject P is large, the legs and the like of the subject P will be located above the lower limit height LL2. The sitting position shooting will be postponed. This is to prevent the subject P from being pinched.

As for the back plate 77 attached to the seat plate support 73, the height from the floor surface may be limited to the lower limit height LL2 as in the case of the cross-linking rod 90. As a result, when the back plate 77 is made of a material having a low X-ray transmittance, it is possible to prevent the back plate 77 from entering the FOV and prevent the back plate 77 from generating an artifact. As described above, it is preferable that the subject transporting tool 70 is designed so that the member arranged at the highest position from the floor surface among the members constituting the subject transporting tool 70 becomes the cross-linking rod 90. However, this does not apply when the back plate 77 is made of a material having high X-ray transmittance. By designing in this way, the subject carrier 70 does not enter the FOV for sitting-position imaging, so that the occurrence of artifacts by the subject carrier 70 can be prevented. Further, since the above design eliminates the concern about the occurrence of artifacts by the subject carrier 70, the range of selection of the members of the subject carrier 70 is widened.

This completes the description of the structure of the subject carrier 70 according to the present embodiment. The structure such as the number of parts and the shape of the sample carrier 70 according to the present embodiment is not limited to the above. The subject carrier 70 according to the present embodiment may have any structure as long as it has at least a seat plate 71, wheels 75, and a cross-linking rod 90. For example, the number of wheels 75 is not limited to 5, and may be any number such as, for example, 3 or 4. Further, the footrest 70, the operation handle 83, the operation lever 85, and the operation lever 89 may be deleted if they are not necessary.

Next, positioning using the subject carrier 70 according to the present embodiment will be described. Typically, both in the standing position and the sitting position, the subject P first sits on the subject carrier 70 in the open space R2. The caregiver grasps the operation handle 83, advances the subject P and the subject carrier 70 along the front guide 591, and conveys the subject P and the subject carrier 70 to the opening space R1 below the gantry main body 11 from the front or the rear.

When taking a sitting position image, the subject P is first seated on the subject carrier 70 in the opening outer space R2, and is conveyed from the front to the opening inner space R1 below the gantry main body 11 by an assistant or the like. As shown in FIG. 5, the subject carrier 70 is fixed by the floor-side fixture 61 described above so that the anatomical reference point of the subject P coincides with the central axis A1, and is fixed by the subject support 57. Be supported. Then, the gantry control circuit 25 takes an X-ray CT image of the imaged portion of the subject P by the gantry main body 11. After the completion of the X-ray CT imaging, the caregiver grasps the operation handle 83, moves the subject P and the subject carrier 70 backward along the front guide 591, and conveys the subject P and the subject carrier 70 from the opening space R1 to the opening outer space R2. .. If it is assumed that the subject P does not swing much, the subject support 57 may be removed from the floor surface 50.

When taking a standing position image, the subject P first sits on the subject carrier 70 in the opening outer space R2 and is conveyed from the front to the opening space R1 below the gantry main body 11 by an assistant or the like. .. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the subject P stands up in the opening space R1 and is restrained by the subject support 57 so that the anatomical reference point coincides with the central axis A1. Since the subject carrier 70 interferes with the upright imaging, the caregiver or the subject P advances the subject carrier 70 along the rear guide 593 as shown in FIG. 13, and the subject carrier 70 Is retracted behind the subject P. After retracting the subject carrier 70, the gantry control circuit 25 takes an X-ray CT image of the imaging portion of the subject P by the gantry main body 11. After the completion of the X-ray CT imaging, the caregiver moves the subject carrier 70 backward along the rear guide 593 and places it in the opening space R1, and the subject P sits on the placed subject carrier 70. do. Then, the caregiver grasps the operation handle 83, moves the subject P and the subject transport tool 70 backward along the front guide 591, and transports the subject P from the opening space R1 to the opening outer space R2.

It is said that the subject carrier 70 is carried in from the front along the front guide 591 and retracted to the rear along the rear guide 593 at the time of standing shooting, but the present embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the subject carrier 70 may be carried in from the rear along the rear guide 593, and may be retracted forward along the front guide 591 during standing shooting. Further, the subject carrier 70 is carried in from the front along the front guide 591, and may be retracted forward along the front guide 591 even during standing shooting, or is carried in from the rear along the rear guide 593. Therefore, it may be retracted to the rear along the rear guide 593 even during the standing position shooting.

As described above, in the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment, when the subject P is arranged in the opening space R1 below the gantry main body 11, it is conveyed by the subject carrier 70 in both the standing position imaging and the sitting position imaging. do. Since the subject P is transported below the gantry main body 11 while seated on the subject carrier 70, it can be moved below the gantry main body 11 without having to bend down. Therefore, the subject P can move to the lower side of the gantry main body 11 without any burden as compared with the conventional case in which the subject P moves to the lower side of the gantry main body 11 by itself. Since the floor surface 50 is provided with a carrier guide 59 for guiding the subject carrier 70 to the opening space R1, the subject P and the subject carrier 70 are easily and accurately transported to the opening space R1. be able to. By fixing the subject carrier 70 to the floor-side fixture 61 with the carrier-side fixture 81, the anatomical reference point of the subject P can be easily and accurately positioned on the central axis A1. Further, since the rear guide 593 for retracting the subject transporting tool 70 is provided behind the opening space R1 when performing the standing position photographing, the subject transporting tool 70 can be easily retracted. As a result, standing shooting can be easily performed.

Next, the subject support 57 will be described in detail. FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the subject support 57. As shown in FIG. 14, the subject support 57 has a pair of columnar bodies 571. The columnar body 571 is fixed to the floor surface 50 by the fixture 573. Specifically, the floor surface 50 is provided with an insertion port (hereinafter, referred to as a columnar body insertion port) 575 (not shown), and is fixed by a fixture 573 inserted into the columnar body insertion port 575. Since the columnar body 571 enters the FOV, it is preferable that the columnar body 571 is formed of a material having few artifacts, for example, a non-metallic material.

As shown in FIG. 14, the columnar body 571 is provided with a plurality of insertion ports (hereinafter, referred to as equipment insertion ports) 576 along the longitudinal direction. A restraint 577 or a gripping tool 578 is attached to the device insertion port 576. The restraint device 577 is a device that restrains the subject P and suppresses the standing swing or the sitting swing. As the restraint 577, for example, a band or belt wrapped around the subject P is used. The gripping tool 578 is a device gripped by the subject P in the standing state in order to suppress the standing swing of the subject P and the like. The restraint 577 or the grip 578 can be attached to an arbitrary height according to the standing position imaging and the sitting position imaging, or according to the physique of the subject P.

The position of the columnar body 571 on the floor surface 50 is not limited to one place. As shown in FIG. 14, columnar body insertion ports 575 may be provided at a plurality of locations on the floor surface. As a result, the columnar body 571 can be provided at an arbitrary position with respect to the Y-axis direction.

In order to avoid contact between the gantry body 11 and the restraint 577 or the grip 578, the restraint 577, the grip 578, the columnar so that the restraint 577 or the grip 578 faces a specific direction with respect to the columnar body 571. A body 571, a columnar body insertion port 575 and a device insertion port 576 are designed. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, the tip portion 5711 of the columnar body 571 and the columnar body insertion port 575 have a shape in which the columnar body 571 can be inserted only in a specific direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 15, the shape of the tip portion 5711 and the columnar body insertion port 575 in which the columnar body 571 can be inserted into the columnar body insertion port 575 only in the direction in which the device insertion port 576 is located on the front side is designed. Will be done. Further, the orthotic device insertion port 576 is formed only in a specific direction of the columnar body 571. For example, in the case of FIG. 15, the orthotic device insertion port 576 is formed only on the front side of the columnar body 571 inserted into the columnar body insertion port 575. As a result, the restraint 577 or the grip 578 can always be accommodated in the opening space R1, so that contact between the restraint 577 or the grip 578 and the gantry main body 11 can be avoided.

Next, positioning by the floodlight will be described. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing floodlights 91 and 93 provided on the gantry main body 11. FIG. 16 schematically shows a cross section of the gantry main body 11. As shown in FIG. 16, an X-ray tube 17 and an X-ray detector 19 are arranged on the gantry main body 11 with an opening 15 interposed therebetween. The row direction of the X-ray detector 19 is substantially parallel to the Z-axis direction. The surface connecting the X-ray focal point of the X-ray tube 17 and the center of the X-ray detector 19 in the row direction is called the scan center surface A2. The thickness (distance in the Z-axis direction) D1 of the gantry body 11 is typically assumed to be 1000 mm or more. Therefore, floodlights 91 and 93 are provided on the upper side and the lower side of the gantry main body 11 having a standing posture with the scan center surface A2 in between. The upper floodlight of the scan center surface A2 will be referred to as the upper floodlight 91, and the lower floodlight of the scan center plane A2 will be referred to as the lower floodlight 93. Each of the upper floodlight 91 and the lower floodlight 93 projects light to the opposite side with the opening 15 interposed therebetween. The upper floodlight 91 is provided at the end of the gantry main body 11 in the + Z axis direction, and the lower floodlight 93 is provided at the end of the gantry main body 11 in the −Z axis direction. This is to visually recognize the light LI projected from the floodlights 91 and 93 from the outside.

FIG. 17 is a diagram schematically showing a flow of positioning using the upper floodlight 91. FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically showing a flow of positioning using the lower floodlight 93. First, the upper floodlight 91 or the lower floodlight 93 is used to align the axial cross section (XY plane). The floodlight used for positioning is determined according to the imaging posture of the gantry main body 11 and the height of the imaging portion of the subject P. For example, when a lighting instruction for the upper floodlight 91 is input via the input circuit 105, the gantry control circuit 25 lights the upper floodlight 91 and projects light on the subject P standing in the opening 15. The light generated by the upper floodlight 91 indicates the range of FOV. Then, according to the instructions of the medical staff or the like, the imaging site of the subject P is aligned so as to be located in the FOV. The same applies when the lighting instruction of the lower floodlight 93 is input via the input circuit 105. When the alignment in the axial cross section is completed, the gantry main body 11 is raised or lowered in order to align the center of the imaging portion of the subject with respect to the Z-axis direction with the scan center plane A2.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, when the subject P is aligned by the upper floodlight 91, the support column 13 moves the frame body 11 upward by the first distance under the control of the frame control circuit 25. do. The first distance is set, for example, to the distance between the optical axis A3 of the upper floodlight 91 and the scan center surface A2. As shown in FIG. 18, when the subject P is aligned by the lower floodlight 93, the support column 13 moves the gantry main body 11 downward by a second distance under the control of the gantry control circuit 25. The second distance is set, for example, to the distance between the optical axis A4 of the lower floodlight 93 and the scan center surface A2.

This completes the description of positioning by the floodlights 91 and 93. As described above, the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment is equipped with the upper floodlight 91 and the lower floodlight 93, and after the alignment with the upper floodlight 91, the X-ray computed tomography apparatus rises by the first distance and the lower floodlight After the alignment at 93, it descends by the second distance. Therefore, even in standing or sitting position imaging in which it is difficult to visually recognize the inside of the opening 15, the floodlights 91 and 93 can be used to accurately align the positions.

As described above, the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an X-ray tube 17, an X-ray detector 19, a gantry body 11, a support column 13, a floor-side fixture 61, and a carrier guide 59. The X-ray tube 17 generates X-rays. The X-ray detector 19 detects X-rays. The gantry main body 11 has an X-ray tube 17 and an X-ray detector 19 arranged so as to sandwich the opening 15. The support column 13 supports the gantry main body 11 in a state in which the central axis A1 of the opening 15 faces substantially perpendicular to the floor surface 50 (standing posture) so as to be movable in the direction perpendicular to the floor surface 50. The floor-side fixture 61 is configured so that the subject carrier 70 can be fixed in the space R1 in the opening below the opening 15 of the gantry main body 11 having a standing posture. The transport tool guide 59 is provided on the floor surface 50 and has a front guide 591 that guides the subject transport tool 70 from the front side to the opening space R1 and a rear guide 593 that guides the subject transport tool 70 from the opening space R1 to the rear side. ..

Further, the subject carrier 70 according to the present embodiment has a seat plate 71, a seat plate support 73, wheels 75, and a cross-linking rod 90. The seat plate 71 is for the subject to be seated. The seat plate support 73 supports the seat plate 71. The wheel 75 is a transport wheel attached to the seat plate support 73. The cross-linking rods 90 are erected on both sides of the seat plate support 73, and the height from the floor surface 50 is limited to the lower limit height LL2 for sitting position imaging of the pedestal of the X-ray computed tomography apparatus.

With the above configuration, the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment uses a subject carrier for X-ray computed tomography, so that the subject P can be easily photographed in a sitting position and standing without burdening the subject P. It can be transported to the space R1 in the opening below the gantry main body 11 for position imaging. Further, since the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment has the transport tool guide 59, the subject P and the subject transport tool 70 can be easily and accurately transported to the space R1 in the opening. .. Since the rear guide 593 for retracting the subject transporting tool 70 is provided behind the opening space R1 when performing the standing position photographing, the subject transporting tool 70 can be easily retracted, and by extension, the subject transporting tool 70 can be retracted. , It becomes possible to easily perform standing shooting. Therefore, the X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to the present embodiment can provide a new workflow for sitting and standing imaging using the subject carrier 70. Further, since the subject carrier 70 has a cross-linking rod 90 whose height from the floor surface 50 is limited to the lower limit height LL2 of the movable range RM2 for sitting position imaging, the gantry main body is used during sitting position imaging. It is possible to prevent the subject P from being pinched by 11.

Thus, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to easily and safely perform sitting or standing imaging.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other embodiments, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

10 ... gantry, 11 ... gantry body, 13 ... stanchion, 15 ... opening, 17 ... X-ray tube, 19 ... X-ray detector, 21 ... rotating frame, 23 ... rotating drive device, 25 ... pedestal control circuit, 27 ... stanchion Drive device, 31 ... High voltage generator, 33 ... Data collection circuit, 50 ... Floor surface, 51 ... Protective cover, 53 ... Opening and closing door, 57 ... Subject support, 59 ... Transporter guide, 61 ... Floor side fixture , 70 ... Subject carrier, 71 ... Seat plate, 73 ... Seat plate support, 75 ... Wheels, 77 ... Back plate, 79 ... Foot rest plate, 81 ... Transporter side fixture, 83 ... Operation handle, 85 ... Operation lever, 87 ... Adjustment mechanism, 89 ... Operation lever, 90 ... Bridge rod, 91 ... Upper floodlight, 93 ... Lower floodlight, 100 ... Console, 101 ... Calculation circuit, 103 ... Display circuit, 105 ... Input circuit, 107 ... Storage circuit, 111 ... preprocessing function, 113 ... reconstruction function, 115 ... image processing function, 117 ... system control function, 571 ... columnar body, 573 ... fixture, 575 ... columnar body insertion port, 576 ... equipment insertion port, 577 ... Restraint, 578 ... Grip, 591 ... Front guide, 593 ... Rear guide, 731 ... Rear frame, 733 ... Rear auxiliary frame, 735 ... Front frame, 737 ... Foot rest frame, 739 ... Support frame, 811 ... Accommodation Frame, 813 ... Protrusions.

Claims (9)

An X-ray tube that generates X-rays and
An X-ray detector that detects X-rays and
A gantry body having the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector arranged across the opening, and
A gantry support portion that supports the gantry body in a state where the central axis of the opening faces substantially perpendicular to the floor surface so as to be movable in the direction perpendicular to the floor surface.
A fixture capable of fixing the transporter of the subject in a predetermined area below the opening of the gantry body in the above state, and a fixture.
A guide path provided on the floor surface and having a first path for guiding the carrier from one side to the predetermined area and a second path for guiding the carrier from the predetermined area to the other side.
Equipped with
The carrier is a wheelchair.
The second path is a guide for retracting the carrier from the predetermined area when the standing subject is photographed by the gantry body.
X-ray computed tomography equipment. A subject standing on the floor so as to fit within the movement path of the opening of the gantry body in the above state, and supporting a subject sitting on the carrier in the predetermined area or standing in the predetermined area. The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a support. The subject support further has a columnar body erected on the floor surface so as to fit within the movement path of the opening of the gantry body in the above state.
The columnar body has a plurality of attachment / detachment portions provided along the columnar body to which a restraint for restraining the subject or a gripping tool for gripping the subject can be attached / detached.
The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 2. The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the subject support has a structure capable of fixing the columnar body to the floor surface only in a predetermined direction. The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a protective cover provided on the floor surface and partitioning the inside and the outside of the predetermined region included in the movement path of the opening. The X-ray computer according to claim 5, wherein the protective cover has a door that can be opened and closed for the subject to move from the outside to the inside of the one side, or from the inside to the outside of the other side. Computed tomography equipment. The gantry main body is provided below the scan center surface of the gantry main body in the above state, and is provided with a lower floodlight that projects light on the opposite side across the opening and an upper side than the scan center surface. The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an upper floodlight that projects light on the opposite side of the opening. The gantry support portion lowers the gantry main body by a predetermined distance when the subject is aligned by the lower floodlight, and when the subject is aligned by the upper floodlight, the gantry main body is lowered. 7. The X-ray computed tomography apparatus according to claim 7. The second route is a route for guiding the transport tool to the other side when the subject transported by the transport tool to the predetermined area is photographed in an upright position by the gantry main body. The X-ray computed tomography apparatus described.

Images