Tomography apparatus with integrated lighting
A tomography apparatus has a gantry with an exterior surface, and a tunnel-shaped opening proceeding through the gantry that defines an examination region, from which tomographic data are acquired from a patient in the opening. An illuminant is integrated into the gantry. The illuminant has a light exit window with a smooth transition to the exterior surface of the gantry.
1. A tomography apparatus comprising:
a gantry having a tunnel-shaped opening proceeding therethrough in an axial direction and defining an examination region adapted to receive a patient therein, said gantry having an exterior surface said tunnel-shaped opening having a constant diameter along said axial direction;
a plurality of electronic components configured to rotate around said tunnel-shaped opening in order to acquire tomographic data from a portion of the patient situated in said examination region of said gantry;
said gantry comprising a funnel-shaped taper leading to an entrance of said tunnel-shaped opening, said funnel-shaped taper having a smallest diameter, adjacent to said tunnel-shaped opening, and a largest diameter at an end of said funnel-shaped opening farthest from said tunnel-shaped opening; and
an illuminant integrated into said funnel-shaped taper of said gantry, said illuminant comprising a light exit window through which light proceeds from said funnel-shaped taper so as to be oriented to illuminate at least a portion of said examination region in said tunnel-shaped opening, said light exit window forming a portion of said exterior surface of said gantry and having a smooth transition to a remainder of said exterior surface of said gantry.
2. A tomography apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said illuminant comprises a plurality of individual lighting elements, and wherein said electronic components include a lighting control component configured to control the individual lighting elements separately from each other.
3. A tomography apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said illuminant emits said light along a propagation direction, and wherein said illuminant is configured to allow said direction of propagation of said light to be selectively adjusted.
4. A tomography apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said illuminant is configured to simultaneously illuminate at least said portion of said examination region from multiple directions, thereby reducing a shadow cast by said illuminant.
5. A tomography apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said illuminant proceeds radially along said tunnel-shaped opening.
6. A tomography apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said illuminant proceeds axially along said tunnel-shaped opening.
7. A tomography apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said illuminant is configured to direct light emitted thereby onto a localized region of said examination region.
8. A tomography apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said illuminant is comprised of at least one light-emitting diode.
9. A tomography apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said illuminant is comprised of at least one halogen lamp.
10. A tomography apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of components are configured to obtain computed tomography data from said portion of said patient in said examination region, as said tomographic data.
11. A tomography apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said plurality of components are configured to obtain magnetic resonance tomography data from said portion of said patient in said examination region, as said tomographic data.