Systems and methods are provided for a patient support device for an x-ray device for use during an examination of a patient including a patient couch and at least one support (6) bearing the patient couch. The patient couch includes a first, x-ray-transparent material disposed in an at least partially flexible covering made from a second x-ray-transparent material. The first material includes a solid, dimensionally stable state and a deformable state, in particular at least partially liquid and/or gaseous state, that are linked by reversible phase transitions. The patient support device further includes at least one induction device for inducing at least one of the phase transitions of the first material between the states by applying and/or removing energy.
