Automated radioisotope seed loader system for implant needles

• US 20030139641A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theragenics Corporation (Juniper Investment Co. LLC)
• Original Assignee: Mentor Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Hoedeman, George M., Berkey, John J., Elliott, Daniel M., Elliott, Jonathan D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,229,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0069 Devices for implanting pellets, e.g. markers or solid medicaments for introducing of radioactive sources for interstitial radiation therapy, i.e. brachytherapy A61N5/1027
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1008 Apparatus for temporary insertion of sources, e.g. afterloaders
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1009 Apparatus for loading seeds into magazines or needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1011 Apparatus for permanent insertion of sources
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1007 Arrangements or means for the introduction of sources into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1027 Interstitial radiation therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/103 Treatment planning systems

Abstract

An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of implant needles is comprised of a loading station into which a replaceable cartridge may be positioned. The cartridge is preloaded with a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers. The cartridge has at least one aperture and preferably the radioisotope seeds and spacers are loaded around the periphery of a rotatable drum within the cartridge. The loading station has a cartridge receiving structure and an automated motion control system. When the cartridge is positioned in the cartridge receiving structure, the automated motion control system preferably drives a pair of stepper motors within the cartridge, one for rotating the rotatable drum and one for sliding a pushrod to selectively eject radioisotope seeds and spacers from the cartridge into each of a plurality of implant needles positioned so as to receive the radioisotopes seeds and spacers within the implant needle. In one embodiment, the implant needles are positioned tip first into the loading station, and once a predetermined arrangement of radioisotope seeds and spacers are loaded into the implant needle, a plug is positioned in the tip of the implant needle. Preferably, the automated system includes a computer processor having a touch screen user interface that is connected to and directs the operation of the automated motion control system to load the plurality of implant needles in accordance with a predetermined dose plan.

Claims

1. An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of elongated members having at least one lumen comprising:

a single drop-in, enclosed replaceable cartridge containing a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers preloaded into the cartridge, the cartridge having at least one aperture; and

a loading station having structure defining a drop-in cartridge receiving structure and including an automated motion control system that selectively ejects radioisotope seeds and spacers from the at least one aperture of the cartridge into each of a plurality of elongated members when the cartridge is positioned in the cartridge receiving structure and each of the plurality of elongated members is positioned relative to the at least one aperture of the cartridge so as to receive the selectively ejected radioisotopes seeds and spacers within the elongated member.

2. The automated system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elongated members are positioned relative to the at least one aperture of the cartridge one elongated member at a time and the automated motion control system selectively ejects the radioisotope seeds and spacers into the plurality of elongated members one elongated member at a time.

3. The automated system of claim 1 wherein the loading station includes a front side oriented toward a user and wherein the cartridge receiving structure is defined in the front side and the plurality of elongated members are positioned in the loading station oriented parallel to the front side.

4. The automated system of claim 1 wherein the cartridge receiving structure defines a downwardly angled path of travel for inserting the cartridge into the cartridge receiving structure.

5. The automated system of claim 1 wherein the cartridge releasably mates with the cartridge receiving structure of the loading station within a mechanical tolerance of +/−

0.010 inches.

6. The automated system of claim 1 wherein the loading station further includes a solenoid that selectively locks the cartridge in place when the cartridge is positioned in the cartridge receiving structure.

7. An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of elongated members having at least one lumen comprising:

a cartridge containing a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers preloaded into the cartridge, wherein the cartridge includes a single rotatable drum and wherein the plurality of radioisotope seeds and the plurality of spacers are preloaded into apertures spaced around the periphery of the rotatable drum, the cartridge having at least one aperture; and

a loading station having structure defining a cartridge receiving structure and including an automated motion control system that selectively ejects radioisotope seeds and spacers from the at least one aperture of the cartridge into each of a plurality of elongated members when the cartridge is positioned in the cartridge receiving structure and each of the plurality of elongated members is positioned relative to the at lease one aperture of the cartridge so as to receive the selectively ejected radioisotope seeds and spacers within the elongated member.

8. The automated system of claim 7 wherein the cartridge further includes a pair of stepper motors, a first stepper motor to drive the rotatable drum and a second stepper motor to drive a capstan assembly that operably drives a push rod along a line of travel through a selectively indexed one of the apertures spaced around the periphery of the rotatable drum, and wherein the rotatable drum has an associated encoder and related circuitry that provide a positional feedback signal to the automated motion control system to control the stepper motor.

9. The automated system of claim 7 wherein the cartridge receiving structure defines a downwardly angled path of travel for inserting the cartridge into the cartridge receiving structure.

10. The automated system of claim 7 wherein the cartridge releasably mates with the cartridge receiving structure of the loading station within a mechanical tolerance of +/−

0.010 inches.

11. The automated system of claim 7 wherein the loading station further includes a solenoid that selectively locks the cartridge in place when the cartridge is positioned in the cartridge receiving structure.

12. An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into an elongated member having at least one lumen comprising:

at least one source of a plurality of radioisotope seeds, a plurality of spacers and a plurality of plugs to be selectively ejected from at least one aperture;

structure for holding a tip of the elongated member in a position relative to the at least one aperture; and

an automated motion control system that selectively ejects radioisotope seeds and spacers from the at least one aperture into the tip of the elongated member and selectively positions one of the plurality of plugs in the tip of the elongated member after the radioisotope seeds and spacers have been ejected into the tip of the elongated member to hold the radioisotope seeds and spacers in place in the elongated member.

13. The automated system of claim 12 wherein the at least one source comprises at least one replaceable cartridge received in a cartridge receiving structure defined in a loading station that houses the automated motion control system.

14. An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into an elongated member having at least one lumen comprising:

a cartridge containing at least a plurality of radioisotope seeds preloaded into the cartridge, the cartridge having at least one aperture and containing a machine readable storage medium that stores indicia representing at least the quantity of the plurality of radioisotope seeds preloaded into the cartridge; and

a loading station having structure defining a cartridge receiving structure and including a computer processor that accesses the machine readable storage medium and utilizes the indicia stored therein to control an automated motion control system that selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the at least one aperture of the cartridge into the elongated member when the cartridge is positioned in the cartridge receiving structure and the elongated member is positioned relative to the at least one aperture of the cartridge so as to receive the selectively ejected radioisotopes seeds within the elongated member.

15. The automated system of claim 14 wherein the machine readable storage medium comprises an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) accessible to the loading station via an electrical connector.

16. The automated system of claim 14 wherein the computer system is provided with a machine readable medium that stores at least a predetermined dose plan and the computer processor controls the automated motion control system to selectively eject radioisotope seeds into the elongated member in accordance with the predetermined dose plan.

17. An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into an elongated member having at least one lumen comprising:

at least one source of a plurality of radioisotope seeds to be selectively ejected from at least one aperture;

a loading station operably connected to the at least one source and including an automated motion control system that selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the at least one aperture into the elongated member using a push rod; and

at least one position sensor operably connected to the automated motion control system and positioned in a line of travel of the push rod to detect movement of the push rod.

18. The automated system of claim 17 wherein the at least one source comprises at least one replaceable cartridge received in a cartridge receiving structure defined in a loading station that houses the automated motion control system.

19. An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into an elongated member having at least one lumen comprising:

at least one source of a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers to be selectively ejected from at least one aperture wherein the plurality of spacers comprise at least one full-length spacer and at least one partial-length spacer where the partial-length spacer has a length approximately equal to a length of a radioisotope seed; and

an automated motion control system that selectively ejects radioisotope seeds and spacers from the at least one aperture into the elongated member.

20. The automated system of claim 19 wherein the at least one source comprises at least one replaceable cartridge received in a cartridge receiving structure defined in a loading station that houses the automated motion control system.

21. A method for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of elongated members having at least one lumen comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers;

(b) using an automated motion control system to move a straight push rod to selectively eject radioisotope seeds and spacers into each of a plurality of elongated members from at least one aperture when each of the plurality of elongated members is positioned relative to the at least one aperture so as to receive the selectively ejected radioisotopes seeds and spacers within the elongated member.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein step (a) is accomplished by providing a replaceable cartridge containing the plurality of radioisotope seeds that is housed in a cartridge receiving structure defined in a loading station that houses the automated motion control system used in step (b).

23. The method of claim 22 wherein step (a) is performed by inserting the cartridge into the cartridge receiving structure along a downwardly angled path of travel defined by the cartridge receiving structure.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein step (a) is performed such that the cartridge disengageably mates with the cartridge receiving structure of the loading station within a mechanical tolerance of +/−

0.010 inches.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the loading station further includes a solenoid and the automated control system in step (b) selectively locks the cartridge in place utilizing the solenoid when the cartridge is positioned in the cartridge receiving structure.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein step (b) is performed such that the plurality of elongated members are positioned relative to the at least one aperture one elongated member at a time and wherein the automated motion control system selectively ejects the radioisotope seeds and spacers into the plurality of elongated members one elongated member at a time.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein step (b) further comprises:

sensing a proper positioning of the elongated member relative to the at least one aperture.

28. A method for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of elongated members having at least one lumen comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers;

(b) using an automated motion control system to selectively eject radioisotope seeds and spacers into each of a plurality of elongated members from at least one aperture when each of the plurality of elongated members is positioned relative to the at least one aperture so as to receive the selectively ejected radioisotope seeds and spacers.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

(c) providing a plurality of plugs; and

(d) using the automated motion control system to selectively position one of the plurality of plugs in the tip of the elongated member after the radioisotope seeds and spacers have been ejected into the tip of the elongated member to hold the radioisotope seeds and spacers in place in the elongated member.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein step (b) further comprises:

aligning the tip of the elongated member relative to the at least one aperture of the cartridge.

31. A method for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of elongated members having at least one lumen comprising:

providing a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers in a cartridge having a machine readable storage medium that stores indicia representing at least the quantity and location of the plurality of radioisotope seeds preloaded into the cartridge; and

using an automated motion control system having a computer processor and a machine readable medium that stores at least a predetermined dose plan to selectively eject radioisotope seeds and spacers from the cartridge into each of a plurality of elongated members wherein the computer processor controls the automated motion control system to selectively eject radioisotope seeds from the cartridge in response to the indicia and the predetermined dose plan.

32. An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of elongated members having at least one lumen comprising:

a cartridge assembly containing a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers preloaded into the cartridge and having at least one aperture, the cartridge assembly housing;

at least one rotatable drum having a plurality of radioisotope seeds and a plurality of spacers preloaded into apertures in the at least one rotatable drum;

a first stepper motor to drive the at least one rotatable drum; and

an associated encoder for the at least one rotatable drum and related circuitry that provide a positional feedback signal; and

a loading station having structure including an automated motion control system that selectively ejects radioisotope seeds and spacers from the at least one aperture of the cartridge assembly into each of a plurality of elongated members when each of the plurality of elongated members is positioned relative to the at least one aperture of the cartridge assembly by controlling the first stepper motor in response to the positional feedback signal from the associated encoder.

33. The automated system of claim 32 wherein the cartridge assembly further houses:

a second stepper motor that operably drives a pushing member along a line of travel through a selectively indexed one of the apertures in the at least one rotatable drums.

34. The automated system of claim 32 wherein the cartridge assembly includes a single rotatable drum containing both the seeds and the spacers in apertures defined in the periphery of the single rotatable drum.

35. An automated system for preloading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of elongated members having at least one lumen comprising:

a standalone integrated loading station comprising a housing containing therein;

a computer processor including a storage medium having information relating to a dose plan;

structure that holds the plurality of radioisotope seeds;

an elongated member docking structure adapted to connect to one elongated member at a time and defining an aperture through which radioisotope seeds are ejected; and

an automated motion control system operably connected to the microprocessor, the structure that holds the plurality of radioisotope seeds and the elongated member docking structure and arranged to selectively eject radioisotope seeds from the aperture into each of the plurality of elongated members in response to at least the dose plan when each of the plurality of elongated members is connected to the elongated member docking structure so as to preload the elongated member prior to implantation by a user.

36. The automated system of claim 35 wherein the loading station further includes a display screen and input device as part of the housing of the standalone integrated loading station that are operably connected to the microprocessor.

37. The automated system of claim 35 wherein the structure that hold the plurality of radioisotope seeds is a cartridge receiving structure adapted to receive a single, drop-in enclosed replaceable cartridge.

38. An automated system for loading low dose radioisotope seeds into a plurality of elongated members having at least one lumen comprising:

at least one rotatable drum-having at leas plurality of-radioisotope seeds preloaded into apertures in the at least one rotatable drum;

a stepper motor to drive the at least one rotatable drum; and

an automated motion control system operably controlling the stepper motor and an elongated push member such that the elongated push member is advanced into an open aperture in the at least one rotatable drum to prevent the drum from being rotated.

39. The automated system of claim 38 wherein the elongated push member is a push rod and wherein the rotatable drum further includes a plurality of spacers preloaded into the apertures.

40. The automated system of claim 38 wherein the rotatable drum is part of a removable cartridge and wherein the automated motion control system advances the elongated push member into an open aperture to prevent the drum from being rotated to lock the rotatable drum in position within the cartridge prior to removal of the cartridge.