Device for the accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections

Claim 1

A method for using a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images of tomodensitometric sections of a subject, said sections being spaced from one another in a first direction, said tomodensitometer including at least one elongated element having a longitudinal axis, said elongated element being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections, said elongated element comprising in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along said longitudinal axis of said elongated element, said method comprising the steps of: using said at least one elongated element by disposing said at least one elongated element on said subject such that at least a portion of said longitudinal axis has a component which is disposed along a second direction perpendicular to the plane of each of said images; and using said tomodensitometer to form said images, whereby said elongated element forms a trace on each of said images, said trace having variations due to said at least one varying characteristic, and using said trace variations to accurately anatomically locate each of said sections.

Claim 2

A method for using a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images of tomodensitometric sections of a subject, said sections being spaced from one another in a first direction, said tomodensitometer including at least one elongated element having a longitudinal axis, said elongated element being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections, said elongated element comprising in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along said longitudinal axis of said elongated element, said method comprising the steps of: using said at least one elongated element by disposing said at least one elongated element on said subject such that at least a portion of said longitudinal axis has a component which is disposed along a second direction perpendicular to the plane of each of said images; and using said tomodensitometer to form said images, whereby said elongated element forms a trace on each of said images, said trace having variations due to said at least one varying characteristic, and using said trace variations to accurately anatomically locate each of said sections.

Claim 8

The method as claimed in claims 3 wherein said step of disposing said at least one elongated element includes the step of disposing first and second elements on said subject such that each said baseline of said first and second elements are parallel with respect to each other and are included within and define a reference plane for locating sectional planes of said tomodensitometric sections.

Claim 9

A device for providing accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections made on a subject by means of a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images, said device comprising: at least one elongated element disposed on said subject in a reproducible way and being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections so as to form a trace therein and wherein said at least one element further comprises in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along the great dimension of said at least one element, wherein said at least one element further comprises an element having a density substantially constant along the width of said at least one element and having a density varying substantially continuously along the length of said great dimension such that said locating is effected by measuring the radiological density of a trace of said at least one element in said tomodensitometric image.

Claim 10

A device for providing accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections made on a subject by means of a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images, said device comprising: at least one elongated element disposed on said subject in a reproducible way and being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections so as to form a trace therein and wherein said at least one element further comprises in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along the great dimension of said at least one element, wherein said at least one element further comprises an element having a density substantially constant along the width of said at least one element and having a density varying substantially continuously along the length of said great dimension such that said locating is effected by measuring the radiological density of a trace of said at least one element in said tomodensitometric image.

Claim 11

A device for providing accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections made on a subject by means of a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images, said device comprising: at least one elongated element disposed on said subject in a reproducible way and being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections so as to form a trace therein and wherein said at least one element further comprises in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along the great dimension of said at least one element, wherein said at least one element further comprises a dimension perpendicular to said great dimension and varying continuously along said great dimension from one end of said great dimension to another end of said great dimension, said at least one element further comprising an angular shape determined by first and second line segments having a common origin and forming therebetween an angle and a base line, wherein said at least one element further comprises an element having a density substantially constant along the width of said at least one element and a density varying substantially continuously along the length of said great dimension such that said locating is effected by measuring the radiological density of said trace and the width of said trace in said tomodensitometric image.

Claim 12

A device for providing accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections made on a subject by means of a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images, said device comprising: at least one elongated element disposed on said subject in a reproducible way and being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections so as to form a trace therein and wherein said at least one element further comprises in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along the great dimension of said at least one element, wherein said at least one element further comprises a dimension perpendicular to said great dimension and varying continuously along said great dimension from one end of said great dimension to another end of said great dimension, said at least one element further comprising an angular shape determined by first and second line segments having a common origin and forming therebetween an angle and a base line, wherein said at least one element further comprises an element having a density substantially constant along the width of said at least one element and a density varying substantially continuously along the length of said great dimension such that said locating is effected by measuring the radiological density of said trace and the width of said trace in said tomodensitometric image.

Claim 13

A device for providing accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections made on a subject by means of a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images, said device comprising: at least one elongated element disposed on said subject in a reproducible way and being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections so as to form a trace therein and wherein said at least one element further comprises in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along the great dimension of said at least one element, wherein said at least one element further comprises a dimension perpendicular to said great dimension and varying continuously along said great dimension from one end of said great dimension to another end of said great dimension, said at least one element further comprising an angular shape determined by first and second line segments having a common origin and forming therebetween an angle and a base line, wherein said at least one element has a plurality of locating holes formed therein along said longitudinal axis at predetermined intervals such that said locating holes are visible along the width of said trace for improving the accuracy of said locating.

Claim 14

A device for providing accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections made on a subject by means of a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images, said device comprising: at least one elongated element disposed on said subject in a reproducible way and being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections so as to form a trace therein and wherein said at least one element further comprises in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along the great dimension of said at least one element, wherein said at least one element further comprises a dimension perpendicular to said great dimension and varying continuously along said great dimension from one end of said great dimension to another end of said great dimension, said at least one element further comprising an angular shape determined by first and second line segments having a common origin and forming therebetween an angle and a base line, wherein said at least one element has a plurality of locating holes formed therein along said longitudinal axis at predetermined intervals such that said locating holes are visible along the width of said trace for improving the accuracy of said locating.

Claim 15

A device for providing accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections made on a subject by means of a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images, said device comprising: at least one elongated element disposed on said subject in a reproducible way and being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections so as to form a trace therein and wherein said at least one element further comprises in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along the great dimension of said at least one element, wherein said at least one element further comprises a dimension perpendicular to said great dimension and varying continuously along said great dimension from one end of said great dimension to another end of said great dimension, said at least one element further comprising an angular shape determined by first and second line segments having a common origin and forming therebetween an angle and a base line, wherein said base line further comprises a reference base line disposed perpendicular to the bisectrix of said angle, wherein said at least one element further comprises a plurality of locating marks disposed thereon such that said marks are visible on said trace so as to enable accurate locating of sectional planes of said tomodensitometric sections sloping with respect to said base line, and wherein said locating marks further comprise at least one fine zone having a density different from that of said material forming said at least one element, and situated along said bisectrix.

Claim 16

A device for providing accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections made on a subject by means of a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images, said device comprising: at least one elongated element disposed on said subject in a reproducible way and being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections so as to form a trace therein and wherein said at least one element further comprises in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along the great dimension of said at least one element, wherein said at least one element further comprises a dimension perpendicular to said great dimension and varying continuously along said great dimension from one end of said great dimension to another end of said great dimension, said at least one element further comprising an angular shape determined by first and second line segments having a common origin and forming therebetween an angle and a base line, wherein said base line further comprises a reference base line disposed perpendicular to the bisectrix of said angle, wherein said at least one element further comprises a plurality of locating marks disposed thereon such that said marks are visible on said trace so as to enable accurate locating of sectional planes of said tomodensitometric sections sloping with respect to said base line, and wherein said locating marks further comprise at least one fine zone having a density different from that of said material forming said at least one element, and situated along said bisectrix.

Claim 18

A device for providing accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections made on a subject by means of a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images, said device comprising: at least one elongated element disposed on said subject in a reproducible way and being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections so as to form a trace therein and wherein said at least one element further comprises in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along the great dimension of said at least one element, wherein said at least one element further comprises a dimension perpendicular to said great dimension and varying continuously along said great dimension from one end of said great dimension to another end of said great dimension, said at least one element further comprising an angular shape determined by first and second line segments having a common origin and forming therebetween an angle and a base line, wherein said base line further comprises a reference base line disposed perpendicular to the bisectrix of said angle, wherein said at least one element further comprises a plurality of locating marks disposed thereon such that said marks are visible on said trace so as to enable accurate locating of sectional planes of said tomodensitometric sections sloping with respect to said base line, and wherein said at least one element further comprises a first and a second fine wire respectively coincident with said first and second line segments.

Claim 19

A device for providing accurate anatomical locating of tomodensitometric sections made on a subject by means of a tomodensitometer for making tomodensitometric images, said device comprising: at least one elongated element disposed on said subject in a reproducible way and being formed at least partly from a material visible on said tomodensitometric sections so as to form a trace therein and wherein said at least one element further comprises in cross section at least one characteristic having a magnitude varying substantially continuously along the great dimension of said at least one element, wherein said at least one element further comprises a dimension perpendicular to said great dimension and varying continuously along said great dimension from one end of said great dimension to another end of said great dimension, said at least one element further comprising an angular shape determined by first and second line segments having a common origin and forming therebetween an angle and a base line, wherein said base line further comprises a reference base line disposed perpendicular to the bisectrix of said angle, wherein said at least one element further comprises a plurality of locating marks disposed thereon such that said marks are visible on said trace so as to enable accurate locating of sectional planes of said tomodensitometric sections sloping with respect to said base line, and wherein said at least one element further comprises a first and a second fine wire respectively coincident with said first and second line segments.