A MOBILE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC SCANNER WITH INTRAOPERATIVE AND INTENSIVE-CARE UNIT APPLICATIONS

INTRODUCTION: A mobile computed tomographic scanner has been developed in which the scan plane is selected by means of gantry translation, r ather than by translation of the patient table. This permits computed tomographic scanning in situ of any patient who is positioned on a rad iolucent surface that fits within the inner diameter of the gantry. We report the design of and initial experience with this scanner as used with adapters for intraoperative and bedside computed tomography (CT) . METHODS: The scanner is equipped with wheels, draws power from wall outlets (120 V, 20 A) in combination with batteries, and has a transla ting gantry. Preclinical studies of image quality were performed with phantoms. An operating table adapter was built for use with a radioluc ent cranial fixation device. A bedside adapter was built that holds th e head and shoulders of a patient in the intensive care unit. RESULTS: The preclinical phantom studies showed satisfactory image spatial res olution (0.8 mm) and low-contrast resolution signal-to-noise relative standard deviation (0.37%). Experience to date with 12 patients has co nfirmed the feasibility of intraoperative CT on demand. Experience to date with 26 patients has confirmed the feasibility of routine bedside CT in the intensive care unit. CONCLUSION: With these adaptations, mo bile CT may increase the efficiency of intraoperative scanning by maki ng it available to multiple operating rooms without committing it to a ny room for an entire operation and may increase the efficiency and sa fety of CT of critically ill patients who currently need to leave the intensive cave unit to travel to a fixed CT installation and back.