g Technical Publications

Direction 5405481-1EN
Rev. 1

NM Cameras
Head Holder
User’s Guide
©2011 by GE Healthcare
©2011 by GE Healthcare. All Rights Reserved.
Acquisition and/or processing software and the related documentation are confidential and proprietary information of GE Healthcare. Only licensees
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prosecuted to the full extent of the Law.

Disclaimer
GE Healthcare shall not be liable nor obligated in any manner in respect of bodily injury and/or property damage arising from the use of this system
if such use is not in strict compliance with instructions and safety precautions contained in the relevant operating manuals and in all supplements
thereto, in all product labels, and according to all terms of warranty and sale of this software, nor if any change not authorized by GE Healthcare is
made to the software contained herein.

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User provided programs or scripts are NOT validated nor warranted by GE Healthcare. The use of data obtained using such user provided programs
or scripts is the sole responsibility of the party using such programs or protocols.
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Authorized CE Representative:
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For Distribution by General Electric Company Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

The original manual was written in English.

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 Revision History
Revision Date Description of Changes Chapter/Pages
1 May 2011 Initial Release All

IMPORTANT
„ This document is an extension of the document set supplied with the camera, which contains all pertinent
operational, safety, regulatory and other information. The reader must read the documents in the set prior to
reading the information herein and prior to using the accessory.
„ The images in this manual are for demonstration only.
„ There may be minor differences that do not affect functionality.
„ Discovery NM/CT 670 images are used to demonstrate head holder usage; these images are equally relevant for
the other cameras.

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 In This Guide

In This Guide
„ Overview: Brain Scanning Using the Head Holder, p.5
„ Head Holder Kit (P/N 5418183), p.6
„ Setting Up For Scanning With the Head Holder, p.6, including:
„ Preliminary Configuration for D630 and D670, p.7
„ Tomo Scan Acquisition Parameters For Head Holder Scanning, p.8
„ Patient Positioning With Head Holder for NM & Hybrid Brain Scans, p.10
„ CT-Only Scanning on D670, p.15

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 Overview: Brain Scanning Using the Head Holder

Overview: Brain Scanning Using the Head Holder

Objective Brain scan with head holder so as to achieve head immobilization and minimal distance between the head of the
patient and the detectors, when relevant (designed for planar, SPECT/Coincidence, hybrid (SPECT-CT), and CT-only
 scans).

Product „ Infinia, Infinia Hawkeye, Infinia Hawkeye4

Lines* „ Discovery NM/CT 670, Discovery NM 630

Preparation The head holder positioning label has been Tools

See Head Holder Kit (P/N 5418183), p.6
 installed on the pallet, underneath the mattress #
* Most of the instructions in this guide are relevant for all the detailed product lines. When a section or item is relevant for a single
system, this is indicated by Infinia (all Infinia products), or D670 for Discovery NM/CT 670 and D630 for Discovery NM 630.

CAUTION
„ Exercise extreme caution when moving the detectors.
When the head holder is attached, it protrudes into the detectors' motion path.
„ Be extremely careful when moving the detectors so as to avoid contact with the head holder and the patient.
„ Minimize automatic motion and prefer manual operation.
„ Avoid switching detector modes while the head holder is attached (except when moving to CT mode for CT-
only scans, see CT-Only Scanning on D670, p.15).
„ Use the head holder only for head and neck scans with patient in supine position.
Performing chest scans with the patient positioned on the head holder will generate cumulative attenuation from
the head holder and pallet.
„ Excessive load can break the head holder and cause injury.
The maximum permissible load on the neck and head support is 34 kg (75 lbs).

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 Setting Up For Scanning With the Head Holder

Head Holder Kit (P/N 5418183)

„ Neck & head support A B
„ Torso support B
„ Pallet adhesive strips C D E F A

NOTE
There are two sets of adhesive strips
Use the strips that allow you to center
the head holder on your patient table

„ Cushion G
„ Forehead straps H I

C D E F G H I

Setting Up For Scanning With the Head Holder

This section includes general setup instructions for systems that use the head holder. These must be
implemented before you start to scan patients using the head holder.
It is recommended that you save the settings defined in Tomo Scan Acquisition Parameters For Head Holder
Scanning, p.8 as a dedicated user protocol, to avoid repeating them for each scan. Alternatively, use the factory
protocols for brain scanning.
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 Setting Up For Scanning With the Head Holder
Preliminary Configuration for D630 and D670

Preliminary Configuration for D630 and D670

NOTE D670
This section is relevant only for the A
Discovery NM/CT 670 system.

1. Access System Configuration

– System Setup J
Admin tab A.
2. Under System Preferences B,
verify that the option Protect
Table Extenders using Body
Contour C is enabled.
3. Proceed to Tomo Scan B
Acquisition Parameters For Head
Holder Scanning, p.8 ‹

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 Setting Up For Scanning With the Head Holder
Tomo Scan Acquisition Parameters For Head Holder Scanning

Tomo Scan Acquisition Parameters For Head Holder Scanning

1. Infinia only:
a. Access the Tomo Admin A
Parameters tab A.
b. Under Image
Orientation B J Body Part,
select HEAD C in order to allow
scanning off the table.

B
C

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 Setting Up For Scanning With the Head Holder
Tomo Scan Acquisition Parameters For Head Holder Scanning

2. All Cameras: In the Scan Location area:

a. Drag the scannable range icon D to the left-most

position. This ensures that the table is initially fully
retracted, which is the typical position for a brain
D
scan.
b. Disable Body Contour E.

CAUTION
If Body Contour is enabled, it is possible that
during the scan the detector housing will collide
E
with the patient or the head holder. F

c. D670 Only:
Select Scan on extender only F
This enables scanning off the table.
3. Proceed to Patient Positioning With Head Holder for NM & Hybrid Brain Scans, p.10 ‹

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 Patient Positioning With Head Holder for NM & Hybrid Brain Scans

Patient Positioning With Head Holder for NM & Hybrid Brain Scans
1. Verify that you have completed the preliminary steps in Setting Up For Scanning With the
Head Holder, p.6.
2. Select detector mode-H and press <SET>.
Verify that the table is fully retracted and at minimal elevation.
3. Load the selected protocol and apply the scan.
4. Using the hand-held controller:
„ Move the detectors out fully
„ Rotate the detectors to 90° (so that both detectors are positioned vertically)
5. Remove the mattress from the bottom of the pallet.

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 Patient Positioning With Head Holder for NM & Hybrid Brain Scans

6. Position the head holder over the pallet,

with the head support A facing towards
the gantry and the attachment strips D B
downwards, facing the pallet. A
Make sure that:
„ The edge of the head holder is
aligned with the dashed alignment

Excessive and cause injury.

head holder
Maximum 34 kg (75 lbs).
neck support
Place the headit is:
ensuring that
• Aligned with

permissible
• Placed symmetric
Holder Placement relative to the sides

CAUTION
• Secured

load can break

of the pallet
For important s, review the Operator
usage instructionsupplied with the
documentationhead holder.
and with the

load
holder on
in place

the dashed the pallet

on the head
safety warnings

label on
ally

the pallet,
ION

the
line on the
line on the label C adhered to the
UT nt

and
CA ceme
r Pla

and general

Head
lde

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Ho
ad

Align the

5418443-EN
He

For impor ctions, reviewwith the system

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Head Hold
tant safety
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n

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5418179
-EN
„ The lateral edges B of the head
holder are parallel and symmetrical
relative to the edges of the pallet. C

Head Holder Placement

„ The attachment strips D secure

CAUTION
the head holder onto the pallet, Align the Head Holder to this line

centering the holder on the pallet. For important safety warnings and general
usage instructions, review the Operator
documentation supplied with the system and
with the Head Holder.

5418179-EN

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 Patient Positioning With Head Holder for NM & Hybrid Brain Scans

7. Place the head holder cushion E inside the

holder and cover it with an appropriate protective
cover, such as a disposable paper napkin.
8. Place the pallet mattress over the head holder E
torso support F.
F
9. Position the patient so that the target area of the
head is inside the effective FOV I and the
shoulders are clear of the detector housing H.
10.Attach one or both of the head holder straps G in
order to immobilize the patient's head.
G

H I
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 Patient Positioning With Head Holder for NM & Hybrid Brain Scans

11.Ensure close proximity of detectors to the head as

follows:
„ Table height: visually verify that the patient's
head and the head holder are centered along the
system axis of rotation.
Approximate height J depends on your system:
„ D630: ~91.0
„ D670: ~94.0
„ Infinia: ~70.0
„ Detector radii: Equal (or very similar) radius in
both detectors K.

IMPORTANT
This requirement is very important for brain imaging when J K
using a fan-beam collimator.

„ Longitudinal position: Using the persistence image, ensure that the target anatomy is within the
FOV. (Adjust the pan as needed, depending on the zoom and the longitudinal position.)

NOTE
In specific cases, such as a patient with a short neck, in order to achieve full visibility of the patient's brain in the FOV, use
the hand-held controller to carefully move the pallet towards the gantry (as allowed by patient's shoulders and the detector
housing).

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 Patient Positioning With Head Holder for NM & Hybrid Brain Scans

12.Perform a clearance check by rotating the detectors 360° and ensuring that there is no
contact with the patient’s face, neck or shoulders, or with the head holder. If necessary,
adjust the radius of rotation and re-confirm clearance.

CAUTION
The clearance check step is mandatory for ensuring patient safety.

13.Rotate the detectors back to the desired start angle (typically 0°) and press <GO>.

14.Hybrid SPECT-CT scans ( D670 and Infinia Hawkeye):

In the Operator room, set the CT limits to indicate the limits of the CT component of the
scan. ‹

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 CT-Only Scanning on D670

CT-Only Scanning on D670

NOTE D670
This section is relevant only for the Discovery NM/CT 670 system.

1. Select H-mode and press <SET>.

2. Verify that the table is fully retracted and at minimal elevation.
3. Attach the head holder as described in steps 5 to 7 of Patient Positioning With Head Holder
for NM & Hybrid Brain Scans, p.10.
4. Load the patient and attach one or both of the head holder straps in order to immobilize the
patient's head.
5. Using the hand-held controller:
„ Move the table up to ~89.0
„ Rotate the detectors to 0° (so that both detectors are horizontal)

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 CT-Only Scanning on D670

6. Select CT Mode A, then press <SET> to move the

table to the CT position.
Monitor the patient while the table moves to CT
position to ensure safe travel into the bore.
A
7. At the console, click to switch to the CT User
Interface.
8. Schedule the patient and protocol, and continue to
perform the CT only scan.

NOTE
To perform a CT-only scan with the NM detectors in L-mode under the table:
1. Select L-mode and press <SET>.
2. Verify that the table is fully retracted and at minimal elevation.
3. Attach the head holder as described in steps 5 to 7 of Patient Positioning With Head Holder for NM & Hybrid Brain Scans, p.10.
4. Load the patient and attach one or both of the head holder straps in order to immobilize the patient's head.
5. Using the hand-held controller:
„ Move the table up to ~89.0
„ Rotate the detectors to 180° (so that both detectors are below the table)
6. Select CT Mode A, then press <SET> to move the table to the CT position.
Monitor the patient while the table moves to CT position to ensure safe travel into the bore (the detectors will stay in L mode).

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