Nanoelectroablation control and vaccination

• US 10,307,207 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2018
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pulse Biosciences, Inc
• Original Assignee: Pulse Biosciences, Inc
• Inventors: Nuccitelli, Richard Lee, Berridge, Jon Casey, Mallon, Zachary, Kreis, Mark, Athos, Brian, Nuccitelli, Pamela
• Primary Examiner(s): Carey, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US16/040,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20180318004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 320 Days
• Field of Search: 606 34, 606 27, 606 32, 606 41, 607 96, 607 98, 607 99, 607100, 607101
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00045 Display arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/043 for fluorescence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/06 with illuminating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00273 Anchoring means for temporary attachment of a device to tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00529 Liver
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00613 Irreversible electroporation reversible electroporation A61N1/327
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00904 Automatic detection of target tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/101 Computer-aided simulation of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 : having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/326 : for promoting growth of cells, e.g. bone cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 : Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals

Abstract

Techniques for treating a tumor and vaccinating against cancer are described. The techniques include treating the tumor by positioning electrodes over an interface between the tumor and non-tumor tissue and applying sub-microsecond pulsed electric fields. The positioning is facilitated by an imaginary contour line of a threshold value of the electric field. In an example, the imaginary contour line is overlaid over images that include the tumor such that the electrodes are properly positioned over the tumor. The techniques also include vaccinating against cancer by passing sub-microsecond pulsed electric fields through tumor cells of a subject sufficient to cause the tumor cells to express calreticulin on surface membranes. The tumor cells are extracted and introduced with the expressed calreticulin into the subject or another subject, thereby providing a vaccination.

Claims

1. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that, upon execution on a computing system, cause the computing system to:

access an image captured by an imaging device, wherein the image shows at least a portion of an electrode from a set of electrodes, a tumor, and a non-tumor tissue;

identify a boundary of the tumor;

generate an imaginary contour of a threshold value of an electric field, wherein the electric field is generated based on a voltage between electrodes of the set of electrodes;

compare the boundary of the tumor to the imaginary contour; and

generate a feedback to align the set of electrodes over the tumor.

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein the feedback is generated on a display device comprising one or more of the following:

a fixed display, a heads-up display, a projection display, a near eye display, or glasses.

3. The medium of claim 2, wherein the feedback is presented as a set of instructions on the display device.

4. The medium of claim 1, wherein the feedback comprises a presentation of misalignment between the imaginary contour and the boundary.

5. The medium of claim 1, comprising instructions that cause the computing system to detect whether the set of electrodes is within a threshold distance from the tumor.

6. The medium of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is a CT scanner.

7. The medium of claim 6, comprising instructions that cause the computing system to process CT scans using image processing techniques to detect the boundary of the tumor and/or a location of the set of electrodes.

8. The medium of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is a camera.

9. The medium of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is integrated with a delivery instrument that comprises the set of electrodes.

10. The medium of claim 1, wherein the imaging device is affixed to interactive glasses.

11. The medium of claim 1, wherein the imaginary contour is generated using a 3D model of the electric field.

12. The medium of claim 1, wherein the imaginary contour is generated based on a model of electric field selected from models available from a storage.

13. The medium of claim 12, wherein the model is selected based on one or more of:

a configuration of the set of electrodes, a type of the tumor, a size of the tumor, a setting of the electric field, or an application environment.

14. The medium of claim 1, comprising instructions that cause the computing system to recognize a configuration of the set of electrodes.

15. The medium of claim 1, comprising instructions that cause the computing system to detect attachment of the set of electrodes based on a user input or using a pinout of an interface.

21. The medium of claim 1, wherein the portion of the electrode comprises an end of the electrode.

16. A method of generating a feedback of a location of a delivery instrument, the method comprising:

accessing an image captured by an imaging device, wherein the image shows at least a portion of an electrode from a set of electrodes of the delivery instrument, a tumor, and a non-tumor tissue;

identifying a boundary of the tumor;

generating, using a processor, an imaginary contour of a threshold value of an electric field, wherein the electric field is generated based on a voltage between electrodes of the set of electrodes;

comparing the boundary of the tumor to the imaginary contour; and

generate a feedback to assist with alignment of the set of electrodes over the tumor.

17. The method of claim 16, the method comprising detecting whether the set of electrodes is within a threshold distance from the tumor.

18. The method of claim 16, the method comprising adjusting the imaginary contour based on one or more of the following:

a configuration of the set of electrodes, a type of the tumor, a size of the tumor, a setting of the electric field, or an application environment.

19. The method of claim 16, the method comprising displaying the feedback on a display device.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the portion of the electrode comprises an end of the electrode.

20. A system for generating a feedback of a location of a delivery instrument, the system comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to;

access an image captured by an imaging device, wherein the image shows at least a portion of an electrode from a set of electrodes, a tumor, and a non-tumor tissue;

identify a boundary of the tumor;

generate an imaginary contour of a threshold value of an electric field, wherein the electric field is generated based on a voltage between electrodes of the set of electrodes;

compare the boundary of the tumor to the imaginary contour; and

generate a feedback to align the set of electrodes over the tumor.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the portion of the electrode comprises an end of the electrode.