Brachytherapy fiducial needle fixation system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- providing at least one fiducial needle having a proximal end being used to locate and fixate tissue into which the at least one fiducial needle is inserted and a distal end being inserted through a grid that fixates the at least one fiducial needle to the tissue;
inserting the at least one fiducial needle into the tissue using medical imaging;
locking the at least one fiducial needle relative to a fixed frame of reference;
placing the grid onto the at least one fiducial needle so that the at least one fiducial needle passes through the grid, locking the at least one fiducial needle relative to the grid and locking the grid relative to the fixed frame of reference;
passing a needle containing a radioactive source into the tissue fixated by the at least one fiducial needle, the radioactive source needle passing through one of a plurality of radioactive source needle holes in the grid that is locked relative to the at least one fiducial needle.
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Abstract
A mechanism to facilitate the insertion of radioactive sources/source strands into soft tissue, such as breast tissue, and a method that utilizes this mechanism with the goal of improving the reproducibility of the procedure and ensuring that the sources are reliably and consistently inserted in an exact position per a patient prescription treatment plan from patient to patient as well as improve the ease-of-use of the device and procedure are provided.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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providing at least one fiducial needle having a proximal end being used to locate and fixate tissue into which the at least one fiducial needle is inserted and a distal end being inserted through a grid that fixates the at least one fiducial needle to the tissue; inserting the at least one fiducial needle into the tissue using medical imaging; locking the at least one fiducial needle relative to a fixed frame of reference; placing the grid onto the at least one fiducial needle so that the at least one fiducial needle passes through the grid, locking the at least one fiducial needle relative to the grid and locking the grid relative to the fixed frame of reference; passing a needle containing a radioactive source into the tissue fixated by the at least one fiducial needle, the radioactive source needle passing through one of a plurality of radioactive source needle holes in the grid that is locked relative to the at least one fiducial needle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method, comprising:
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providing at least one fiducial needle having a proximal end being used to locate and fixate tissue into which the at least one fiducial needle is inserted and a distal end being inserted through a grid that fixates the at least one fiducial needle to the tissue; inserting the at least one fiducial needle into the tissue using medical imaging; locking the at least one fiducial needle relative to a fixed frame of reference and locking the at least one fiducial needle to the grid, wherein locking the at least one fiducial needle relative to the grid further comprises allowing a radioactive source needle to freely slide relative to the grid; and passing the radioactive source needle into the tissue fixated by the at least one fiducial needle, the radioactive source needle passing through one of a plurality of radioactive source needle holes in the grid that is locked relative to the at least one fiducial needle.
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9. A method, comprising:
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providing at least one fiducial needle having a proximal end being used to locate and fixate tissue into which the at least one fiducial needle is inserted and a distal end being inserted through a grid that fixates the at least one fiducial needle to the tissue; inserting the at least one fiducial needle into the tissue using medical imaging; locking the at least one fiducial needle relative to a fixed frame of reference and locking the at least one fiducial needle to the grid; removably securing the grid to the fixed frame of reference using an engagement device having a ball portion and a socket portion, wherein removably securing the grid to the fixed frame of reference further comprises removably inserting the ball portion of the engagement device into the socket portion of the engagement device to secure the grid to the fixed frame of reference; and passing a needle containing a radioactive source into the tissue fixated by the at least one fiducial needle, the radioactive source needle passing through one of a plurality of radioactive source needle holes in the grid.
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Specification