Microwave antenna apparatus, systems, and methods for localizing markers or tissue structures within a body
First Claim
1. A probe for identifying a target within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
- a housing including a tip for contacting tissue;
a ceramic disk attached to the tip comprising a first surface for contacting tissue when the tip is placed in contact with the tissue;
a transmit antenna to transmit a transmit signal into the body, and a receive antenna to receive a receive signal that is reflected from the target, the transmit and receive antennas comprising antenna elements arranged as a Maltese cross on a second surface of the ceramic disk opposite the first surface; and
a Faraday shield on the tip to shield the transmit and receive antennas,wherein the antenna elements comprises two pairs of antenna elements offset from one another by ninety degrees, and wherein the ceramic disk comprises slots between adjacent antenna elements to substantially isolate the antenna elements from one another.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for localizing lesions within a patient'"'"'s body, e.g., within a breast. The system includes a microwave antenna probe for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals to detect one or more markers that are implanted within or around the target tissue region. During use, the marker(s) are implanted into a target tissue region, and the microwave antenna probe is placed against the patient'"'"'s skin to transmit a signal to the marker(s) and to receive the reflected signal from the marker(s) in order to determine the location of the marker(s). A tissue specimen, including the lesion and the marker(s), is then removed from the target tissue region based at least in part on the location information from the microwave antenna probe.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A probe for identifying a target within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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a housing including a tip for contacting tissue; a ceramic disk attached to the tip comprising a first surface for contacting tissue when the tip is placed in contact with the tissue; a transmit antenna to transmit a transmit signal into the body, and a receive antenna to receive a receive signal that is reflected from the target, the transmit and receive antennas comprising antenna elements arranged as a Maltese cross on a second surface of the ceramic disk opposite the first surface; and a Faraday shield on the tip to shield the transmit and receive antennas, wherein the antenna elements comprises two pairs of antenna elements offset from one another by ninety degrees, and wherein the ceramic disk comprises slots between adjacent antenna elements to substantially isolate the antenna elements from one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A probe for identifying a target within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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a housing including a tip for contacting tissue; a ceramic disk attached to the tip comprising a first surface for contacting tissue when the tip is placed in contact with the tissue; a transmit antenna to transmit a transmit signal into the body, and a receive antenna to receive a receive signal that is reflected from the target, the transmit and receive antennas comprising antenna elements arranged as a Maltese cross on a second surface of the ceramic disk opposite the first surface; a Faraday shield on the tip to shield the transmit and receive antennas; and a region filled with air adjacent the second surface configured to minimize lost energy away from the tissue contacted by the first surface.
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5. A probe for identifying a target within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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a housing including a tip for contacting tissue; a ceramic base attached to the tip comprising a first surface for contacting tissue when the tip is placed in contact with the tissue; a transmit antenna to transmit electromagnetic signals into the patient'"'"'s body, and a receive antenna to receive return signals from the target, the transmit and receive antennas comprising antenna elements arranged as a Maltese cross on the ceramic base generally opposite the first surface; and a Faraday shield on the tip to shield the transmit and receive antennas, wherein the antenna elements comprises two pairs of antenna elements offset from one another by ninety degrees, and wherein the ceramic base comprises slots between adjacent antenna elements to substantially isolate the antenna elements from one another. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A probe
for identifying a target within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising: -
a housing including a tip for contacting tissue; a ceramic base attached to the tip comprising a first surface for contacting tissue when the tip is placed in contact with the tissue; a transmit antenna to transmit electromagnetic signals into the patient'"'"'s body, and a receive antenna to receive return signals from the target, the transmit and receive antennas comprising antenna elements arranged as a Maltese cross on the ceramic base generally opposite the first surface; a Faraday shield on the tip to shield the transmit and receive antennas; and a region filled with air adjacent the ceramic base opposite the first surface configured to minimize lost energy away from the tissue contacted by the first surface.
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9. A probe for identifying a target within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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a housing including a tip for contacting tissue; a ceramic base attached to the tip comprising a first surface for contacting tissue when the tip is placed in contact with the tissue; a transmit antenna to transmit electromagnetic signals into the patient'"'"'s body, and a receive antenna to receive return signals from the target, the transmit and receive antennas comprising antenna elements arranged as a Maltese cross on the ceramic base generally opposite the first surface; a Faraday shield on the tip to shield the transmit and receive antennas; and a light source for delivering light energy pulses into the patient'"'"'s body substantially simultaneously with the electromagnetic signals to modulate the return signals from the target. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A probe for identifying a target within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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a housing including a tip for contacting tissue; a ceramic base attached to the tip comprising a first surface for contacting tissue when the tip is placed in contact with the tissue; a transmit antenna to transmit electromagnetic signals into the patient'"'"'s body, and a receive antenna to receive return signals from the target, the transmit and receive antennas comprising antenna elements arranged as a Maltese cross on the ceramic base generally opposite the first surface; and a light source for delivering light energy pulses into the patient'"'"'s body substantially simultaneously with the electromagnetic signals to modulate the return signals from the target. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification