Methods and devices to expand applications of intraoperative radiation probes
First Claim
1. A catheter for in vivo detection of nuclear or fluorescent radiation emitted from tagged biological tissue within a human body comprising:
- an elongated tube having at least one lumen, the lumen extending from a distal end of the tube, for positioning within the human body and a length sufficient such that, in use, a proximal end of the tube is external to the human body, an expandable portion located on the distal end of said tube, drive means for causing the expandable portion to increase in diameter being operatively connected to the expandable portion, control means for the drive means being located at the proximal end of the tube, at least one radiation detector mounted on or in the expandable portion, a signal conduit positioned in said at least one lumen, said signal conduit connected at a first end to the at least one radiation detector and at a second end to diagnostic instrumentation external of the human body.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Labeling, such as with radio pharmaceuticals, fluorescence emitting compounds or other probe detectable materials, of diseased or malfunctioning candidate cells for subsequent treatment with a medicinal compound, the identification in situ of the candidate cells using a probe sensitive to the presence of the label and then treatment of the identified cell is disclosed.
The invention also covers in situ gene therapy using a beta or gamma radiation detection probe to locate radio-labeled cells, and the delivery of corrective or therapeutic genes to the candidate cells identified by the radiation detection probe while the probe is positioned adjacent to the labeled and located cells. Also covered is the identification of vulnerable plaque in atherosclerotic vessels and diseased myocardial tissue in the heart, treatment of that plaque or diseased tissue and the subsequent determination of the efficacy of the treatment.
Devices for use in the procedures include, intraoperative radiation detection probes, intraoperative radiation detection probes, intraoperative radiation imaging probes, catheter mounted radiation detection probes and probes attached to surgical gloves so that the probe tip can be manually manipulated by the physician and placed adjacent to suspect tissue at an operative site.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A catheter for in vivo detection of nuclear or fluorescent radiation emitted from tagged biological tissue within a human body comprising:
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an elongated tube having at least one lumen, the lumen extending from a distal end of the tube, for positioning within the human body and a length sufficient such that, in use, a proximal end of the tube is external to the human body, an expandable portion located on the distal end of said tube, drive means for causing the expandable portion to increase in diameter being operatively connected to the expandable portion, control means for the drive means being located at the proximal end of the tube, at least one radiation detector mounted on or in the expandable portion, a signal conduit positioned in said at least one lumen, said signal conduit connected at a first end to the at least one radiation detector and at a second end to diagnostic instrumentation external of the human body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 53, 54, 55, 56)
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18. A catheter for in vivo detection of nuclear radiation emitted from tagged biological tissue within a human body comprising:
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an elongated tube having at least one lumen extending from a distal end of the tube for positioned within the human body and a length sufficient such that, in use, a proximal end of the tube is external to the human body, a detector portion located on the distal end of said tube, at least one radiation detector comprising a scintillation material mounted on or in the detector portion a light transmission conduit positioned in said at least one lumen, said light transmission conduit connected at a first end to the at least one radiation detector and at a second end to diagnostic instrumentation external of the human body, wherein the at least one radiation detector includes an integral microlens formed on a surface at an interface between the detector and the light transmission conduit connected to the radiation detector.
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24. An assembly to increase the percentage of light generated by scintillation in a scintillation crystal which reaches a signal analysis system comprising a scintillation crystal and an optical conduit to transmit light generated by scintillation within the crystal, the crystal having a radiation receiving surface and a light transmission surface with the optical conduit joined to the light transmission surface, an integral microlens formed on at least one of said light transmission surface and the surface of the optical conduit joined to said light transmission surface, the optical conduit joined to the lens by an optically transparent adhesive.
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31. A catheter for in vivo detection of nuclear or fluorescent radiation emitted from tagged biological tissue within the cardiovascular system including the heart of a human body comprising:
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an elongated tube having at least one lumen extending from a distal end of the tube for positioned within the human body and a length sufficient such that, in use, a proximal end of the tube is external to the human body, at least one radiation detector mounted on the distal portion thereof, a signal conduit positioned in said at least one lumen, said signal conduit connected at a first end to the at least one radiation detector and at a second end to diagnostic instrumentation external of the human body, said distal portion also including means for detecting electrical activity in biological tissue within the heart and means for causing the catheter to traverse across the surface of the biological tissue within the heart. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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35. An assembly to increase the percentage of light generated by scintillation in a scintillation crystal which reaches a signal analysis system, the scintillation crystal having a radiation receiving surface and a light transmission surface, a optical conduit joined to the lens by an optically transparent adhesive, and at least one microlens integral with at least one of the scintillation crystal transmission surface or the end of the optical conduit joined to said light transmission surface.
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47. An assembly to increase the percentage of light generated by scintillation in a scintillation crystal which reaches a signal analysis system comprising a scintillation crystal and an optical conduit to transmit light generated by scintillation within the crystal, the crystal having a radiation receiving surface and a light transmission surface with the optical conduit joined to the light transmission surface, an integral microfresnel lens or a diffractive lens formed on at least one of said light transmission surface and the surface of the optical conduit joined to said light transmission surface, the optical conduit joined to the lens by an optically transparent adhesive wherein the surfaces of the scintillation crystal, with the exception of the point where the optical conduit is joined to the crystal, are coated with multiple, alternating layers of high and low refractive index, light reflective materials.
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48. A surgical glove for use in probing for radiation labeled tissue within a human body, said glove formed of a flexible material impervious to body fluids, the glove having a catheter attached thereto and extending along a surface of one finger of the glove, the catheter having a radiation detector mounted at its distal tip, said distal tip being located at the end of said finger.
Specification