Positioning device for beam radiation treatment and imaging

1. A method of radiation therapy, comprising:

providing a radiological therapy device;

providing a patient positioning device, comprising:

a base; and

a patient support surface coupled to the base, the patient support surface comprising:

a lower patient support hingedly coupled to the base; and

an upper patient support hingedly coupled to the lower patient support;

an angle between the lower patient support and the upper patient support is adjustable by single-handed operation independently of an angle between the lower patient support and the base;

wherein the upper support surface hingedly couples to the lower patient support surface by a substantially flat hinge that forms a continuous upper surface with an upper surface of the lower patient support and an upper surface of the upper patient support;

wherein the hinge is molded at an angle greater than the angle between the lower patient support and the upper patient support when the upper patient support comprises a locked state such that the upper patient support comprises a spring action that elevates the upper patient support when the upper patient support comprises an unlocked state;

placing a patient on the patient positioning device; and

initiating the radiological therapy device.

2. The patient positioning device of claim 1 , wherein the hinge comprises a fiber-reinforced composite.

3. The patient positioning device of claim 2 , wherein the hinge comprises a thickness less than five millimeters.

4. The patient positioning device of claim 3 , further comprising:

an upper-angle positioning module coupled to the upper patient support;

the upper-angle positioning module slideably couples with one or more armatures; and

the one or more armatures comprising one or more apertures configured to receive one or more pins of the upper-angle positioning module.

5. The patient positioning device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more pins couple with the one or more armatures in a first position that anchors the upper patient support at a first angle relative to the lower patient support; and

the one or more pins couple with the one or more armatures in a second position that anchors the upper patient support at a second angle relative to the lower patient support.

6. The patient positioning device of claim 5 , further comprising: an initial-angle positioning module.

7. The patient positioning device of claim 6 , wherein the initial-angle positioning module comprises a wedge that removably couples with the base.

8. A patient positioning device for radiation therapy, comprising:

a base; and

a patient support coupled to the base, the patient support comprising:

a lower patient support hingedly coupled to the base;

an upper patient support hingedly coupled to the lower patient support by

an upper-angle hinge comprising a continuous upper layer that extends from a portion of the lower patient support across a flex point into a portion of the upper patient support, wherein an angle of the flex point of the upper-angle hinge when molded is greater than an angle of the flex point when the upper patient support comprises a locked state such that the upper-angle hinge comprises a spring action that elevates the upper patient support when the upper patient support comprises an unlocked state; and

an upper-angle positioning module coupled to the upper patient support and providing single-handed operation to adjust the upper patient support between the locked state and the unlocked state.

9. The patient positioning device of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the lower patient support and the portion of the upper patient support coupled by the upper-angle hinge are molded as a unitary component.

10. The patient positioning device of claim 9 , wherein the upper-angle hinge comprises a fiber-reinforced composite.

11. The patient positioning device of claim 10 , wherein the upper-angle hinge comprises filaments that extend from the portion of the lower patient support, through the flex point of the upper-angle hinge, and into the portion of the upper patient support.

12. The patient positioning device of claim 11 , further comprising:

the upper-angle positioning module slideably couples with one or more armatures; and

the one or more armatures are coupled with the base and comprise one or more apertures configured to receive one or more pins of the upper-angle positioning module.

13. The patient positioning device of claim 12 , wherein the one or more pins couple with the one or more armatures in a first position that anchors the upper patient support at a first angle relative to the lower patient support; and

the one or more pins couple with the one or more armatures in a second position that anchors the upper patient support at a second angle relative to the lower patient support.

14. The patient positioning device of claim 13 , further comprising:

an initial-angle positioning module.

15. The patient positioning device of claim 14 , wherein the initial-angle positioning module comprises a wedge that removably couples with the base.

16. A patient positioning device, comprising:

a first patient support coupled with a second patient support;

the first patient support is coupled to a base;

an angle between the first patient support and the second patient support is adjustable by single-handed operation independently of an angle between the first patient support and the base;

a hinge couples the first patient support to the second patient support and forms a continuous upper layer and extends from a portion of the first patient support into a portion of the second patient support; wherein the hinge is molded at an angle greater than the angle between the first patient support and the second patient support when the second patient support comprises a locked state such that the second patient support comprises a spring action that elevates the second patient support when the second patient support comprises an unlocked state.

17. The patient positioning device of claim 16 , wherein the base couples to a treatment couch.

18. The patient positioning device of claim 17 , wherein the hinge and the portion of the first patient support and the portion of the second patient support coupled by the hinge are molded as a unitary component.

19. The patient positioning device of claim 18 , wherein the hinge comprises a fiber-reinforced composite.

20. The patient positioning device of claim 19 , wherein the hinge comprises filaments that extend from the portion of the first patient support, through a flex point of the hinge, and into the portion of the second patient support.

21. The patient positioning device of claim 20 , wherein a face immobilization module couples to one or more of the first and second patient supports.

22. The patient positioning device of claim 21 , wherein a face immobilization mask couples with the face immobilization module by a U-shaped clip; and

the U-shaped clip is secured by one or more retainers and one or more toe blocks.