Single-use radiological imaging aid

Details Single-use radiological imaging aid Single-use radiological imaging aid

2000-08-07

2001-12-25

Porta, David P. (Department: 2876)

X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices

Auxiliary data acquisition or recording

C378S163000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06333970

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates in general to radiological apparatus and in particular to a single-use imaging aid for use in x-ray and other imaging procedures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the taking of medical x-rays, it is common to utilize a radiopaque marker on a portion of the patient's body being examined. One simple technique is to place the radiopaque marker on the patient's nipple when the x-ray is taken and the resulting mark on the x-ray film provides a point of reference from which actual measurements can be made to other parts of the body for surgical or other purposes. Other more complicated devices involving grids of radiopaque material carried by plastic sheets or lattice works of radiopaque rods have also been used in an effort to locate precisely the area of the body which is under investigation. Unquestionably, some of these devices have achieved some acceptance as aids in the preparation for specific surgical procedures. However, the available devices have tended to be expensive, complicated, and difficult to use. By way of example, one of the devices on the market involves a contoured carrier which is strapped to the patient's body and on which a movable radiopaque indicator slides. Thumb-screws are provided to lock the indicator in any desired position prior to the taking of the x-ray.
Another prior art device involves the placement of radiosensitive film under the patient's body and applying a carrier sheet on which grid lines of radiopaque material are disposed over a portion of the body. When the film is exposed to radiation passing through the carrier sheet and the patient's body, an image is developed in which the grid lines appear. Openings are provided in the device to permit the radiologist to make visible markings on the patient's body as points of reference. Both of the systems described are expensive, unwieldy and somewhat imprecise. Moreover, they are useful only for a few limited applications.
In addition, for hygienic reasons, it is important that such devices be sterile when applied to a patient's skin, be reliably adherable to the patient's skin, yet removable without leaving traces of adhesive or irritating the patient's skin, and be usable only one time on a patient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a single-use radiological imaging aid which is removably applicable to a body part so that the body part and the aid are visible in an x-ray or other radiological image. The aid comprises a flexible, imperforate, radiation-transparent tape having first and second surfaces, radiopaque indicia formed on one of the first and second surfaces of the tape by selective application of a radiopaque material thereon, an adhesive on the other of the first and second surfaces of the tape for removable attachment of the tape to the skin of the body part, and a removable backer removably disposed over the adhesive. The backer includes a radiopaque blocking field formed thereon by selective application of a radiopaque material on the backer. When the backer is in place over the adhesive, the blocking field on the backer is in substantial registration with the indicia on the tape. The indicia on the tape are visible in a radiological image of the body part upon removal of the backer from the tape and adherence of the tape to the skin of the body part prior to imaging of the body part. A radiological image of the tape with the backer in place would reveal only the blocking field and not the indicia on the tape.
In a preferred embodiment, the blocking field on the backer comprises radiopaque indicia in the form of graphic or alphanumeric symbols which are preferably arranged in irregular nonrepeating patterns.
The indicia on one or both of the tape and backer may be covered with a protective coating or layer. In a preferred embodiment, the protective coating is substantially inert and substantially transparent to x-radiation.
At least one of the tape and the backer preferably comprises a nonwoven material.
The radiopaque indicia on the tape may include locating markings and/or linear measurement graduations which represent units of conventional linear measurement.


REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 36461 (1999-12-01), Russell et al.
patent: 2650308 (1953-08-01), Catlin
patent: 4506676 (1985-03-01), Duska
patent: 4860331 (1989-08-01), Williams et al.
patent: 5052035 (1991-09-01), Krupnick
patent: 5193106 (1993-03-01), DeSena
patent: 5216700 (1993-06-01), Cherian

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