Customizable fixture for patient positioning

Abstract

A customized positioning fixture is fabricated specifically for a patient the purpose of positioning a portion, or all, of the patient's body relative to a medical apparatus. The customized positioning fixture is fabricated such that the relative position of the patent to the medical apparatus is predetermined before a procedure is performed on the patient using the apparatus. The positioning fixture is fabricated using a computer-aided or an automated computer-controlled process according to data determined for that patient, for example, using a rapid prototyping and tooling (RPT) technique. In some embodiments, the positioning fixture is designed to be repeatedly removed and reattached to the patient, thereby allowing the patient to be repeatedly precisely re-positioned in the medical device is separated sessions. A second positioning fixture can also be fabricated so that the patient can be positioned relative to a second apparatus in a way that the patient's position in the two different apparatuses is related in a desired manner.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for positioning a body in relation to a medical apparatus using a customized positioning fixture comprising: 
 determining mounting data that characterizes positions of a plurality of mounting locations on the body;    using the mounting data, computing a digital model of the positioning fixture that characterizes a shape of the positioning fixture such that the shape includes a first plurality of mounting structures that mate with the mounting locations on the body, and a second plurality of mounting structures for attaching the positioning fixture to the medical apparatus;    fabricating the positioning fixture according to the digital model; and    fixing the body to the medical apparatus in a predetermined position of the body relative to the medical apparatus, including mating the first plurality of mounting structures with the mounting locations on the body, and attaching the positioning fixture to the medical apparatus using the second plurality of mounting structures.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein fabricating the positioning fixture includes forming a unitary structure using a computer-controlled process.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein forming the unitary structure using a computer-controlled process includes forming said structure using a rapid prototyping and tooling (RPT) technique.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 after fixing the body to the medical apparatus in the predetermined position, releasing the body from the positioning fixture; and  
 repeating the steps of fixing the body to and then releasing the body from the medical apparatus, whereby at each repetition the body is fixed in the same predetermined position relative to the medical apparatus.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising forming a three-dimensional scanned image of the body and wherein determining the mounting data includes identifying the mounting locations in the scanned image.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising attaching a plurality of mounting devices to the body prior to forming the scanned image to form the mounting locations on the body.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein attaching the mounting devices includes attaching bone anchors.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein attaching the bone anchors includes attaching subcutaneous bone anchors.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein identifying the mounting locations in the scanned image includes identifying points on an anatomical structure of the body.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the shape of the positioning fixture forms a plurality of segments that form a clamp which mates with the anatomical structure when the positioning fixture is fixed to the body.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the medical apparatus is a scanning device.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 determining a location of a target within the body; and  
 using the determined location of the target, determining the predetermined position of the body in order to position the target at a predetermined position relative to medical apparatus when the body is fixed to said apparatus using the positioning fixture.  
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the medical apparatus includes a radiation therapy device.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 determining a second position of the body relative to a second medical apparatus;  
 using the mounting data and the determined second position, computing a second digital model of a second positioning fixture;  
 fabricating the second positioning fixture according to the second digital model; and  
 fixing the body to the second medical apparatus in said second position, including mating the second positioning fixture with the mounting locations on the body and attaching the second positioning fixture to the second medical apparatus.