Method and apparatus for treatment of patients

• US 20040181115A1
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Reuven Sandyk, Zvi Kamil
• Original Assignee: Reuven Sandyk, Zvi Kamil
• Inventors: Kamil, Zvi, Sandyk, Reuven
• Application Number:
  US10/486,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181115A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/02 using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets A61N2/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A system and a method for automated setting of radiation treatment devices using a master computer. The method allows the physician to digitally control the patient'"'"'s treatment from a master computer and make rapid and fine adjustments in multiple treatment devices. The multiple treatment devices may be situated at the doctor'"'"'s office, in which case they are connected to the master computer via a local area network (LAN). Alternatively, a network may be used (e.g., the public telephone switching network, an intranet or the Internet) to enable the physician to send radiation therapy from a central location (e.g., a doctor'"'"'s office) to PC computers or treatment devices at remote sites (e.g., patients'"'"' residences). In the former case, the treatment parameters and protocol are then loaded into the radiation treatment device from the remote PC computer, allowing the patient to receive radiation at home or any other preferred location at his/her convenience.

Claims

1. A method of treating patients diagnosed as having a neurological disorder, comprising the following steps:

(a) programming a first computer to output digital data representing parameters for electromagnetic radiation, said parameters being designed to effect treatment of a neurological disorder;

(b) coupling a radiation treatment device to said first computer for receiving said digital data output;

(c) coupling an electromagnetic radiation transmitter to said radiation treatment device;

(d) positioning said electromagnetic radiation transmitter so that transmitted electromagnetic radiation enters the brain of a patient diagnosed as having said neurological disorder; and

(e) activating said electromagnetic radiation transmitter to transmit electromagnetic radiation as a function of at least digital data output.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said weak electromagnetic radiation comprises alternating current electromagnetic fields having intensities in the range of 1 to 100 picotesla flux density.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said weak electromagnetic radiation comprises alternating current electromagnetic fields having intensities with an average optimal range of 6.5 to 10 picotesla flux density.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmitted electromagnetic radiation is directed to the region of the pineal gland.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of administering to the patient a chemical composition that increases serotonin transmission, said administering step being performed before said activating step.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(e) monitoring a symptom of disease in said patient prior to said programming step; and

(f) determining said parameters as a function of the results of said monitoring step.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein step (e) is performed on said patient in a central office, whereas said patient is located at a site remote from said central office when step (d) is performed.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein steps (a) through (d) are performed at a site remote from a central office and step (f) is performed at said central office.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein step (e) comprises the following steps:

the patient tries to draw a straight or circular line; and

digital data representing the line drawn by the patient is sent electronically from the remote site to the central office, and

wherein step (f) comprises the flowing steps;

printing or displaying an image corresponding to the transmitted electronic data representing the drawn line; and

the physician determines the degree of hand tremor in the patient based on inspection of the image.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first computer is located at a remote site, and said programming step is performed by sending instructions from a second computer at a central location to said first computer at said remote site.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said instructions are sent via a telephone connection.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said instructions are sent from said second computer at said central location to a third computer at said remote site via an Internet connection and are then sent from said third computer to said first computer.

13. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein step (e) comprises the following steps:

(g) administering different signals to a patient'"'"'s brain; and

(h) monitoring a symptom during each signal administration; and

wherein step (f) comprises the following steps;

(i) determining which signal produces the optimum response of said symptom to treatment; and

(j) determining said parameters as a function of the parameters of said signal that produced the optimal response.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said symptom is hand tremor.

15. The method as recited in Claim 12, wherein step (e) comprises sending a video signal of said patient during treatment, said video signal being sent from said third computer to said second computer.

16. A method of treating patients at sites remote from a central office, comprising the following steps:

(a) generating first through N-th digital data sets comprising waveform parameters and treatment protocol data, wherein N is a positive integer greater than unity;

(b) sending said first through N-th digital data sets from a central office to respective first through N-th remote locations; and

(c) treating respective first through N-th patients at said first through N-th remote locations, each treatment being a function of the respective one of said first through N-th digital data sets received at the respective remote location.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein each treatment comprises transmitting electromagnetic radiation into the brain of the patient using a respective radiation treatment device, each of said first through N-th patients respectively receiving electromagnetic radiation having properties defined at least in part by said first through N-th digital data sets respectively.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said sending step comprises sending each of said first through N-th digital data sets directly to a respective treatment device located at said first through N-th remote locations via the public telephone switching network.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said sending step comprises sending each of said first through N-th digital data sets to a respective PC computer located at said first through N-th remote locations, and then loading said respective digital data set from said respective PC computer into a respective treatment device located at said first through N-th remote locations.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said sending step comprises loading said respective digital data sets into first through N-th treatment devices respectively at said central office and then physically transporting said treatment devices to said first through N-th remote locations.

21. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

(d) monitoring from said central location a symptom of disease in one of said patients during said step of treating that patient at said respective remote location; and

(e) determining said waveform parameters of said digital data set for that patient as a function of the results of said monitoring step, said determining step being performed at said central location.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein step (d) comprises sending a video signal of said patient during treatment, said video signal being sent from said respective remote location to said central location.

23. A system for treating patients having a neurological disorder, comprising:

a radiation treatment device comprising an antenna and circuitry for converting a digital data set into analog drive signals that are output to said antenna; and

a computer programmed to send said digital data set to said radiation treatment device via an electrical pathway.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein said digital data set comprises waveform parameters and treatment protocol data.

25. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein said circuitry of said radiation treatment device comprises a programmable controller and a serial communications interface connected to said programmable controller, and said electrical pathway comprises a cable connected to said serial communications interface.

26. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein said circuitry of said radiation treatment device comprises:

a controller programmed to generate a digital waveform signal representing a waveform having properties that are a function of said digital data set received from said computer; and

a digital-to-analog converter for converting said digital waveform signal into an analog waveform signal,

wherein said antenna receives a signal derived from said analog waveform signal.

27. The system as recited in claim 26, further comprising a digital potentiometer connected to said controller and to said digital-to-analog converter.

28. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein said antenna is part of a headgear assembly.

29. A radiation treatment device comprising:

an antenna;

a controller programmed to output digital waveform signals that are a function of stored waveform parameters and treatment protocol data; and

a digital-to-analog converter for converting said digital waveform signals into analog waveform signals, wherein said antenna is driven by drive signals derived from said analog waveform signals.

30. The device as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

a DTMF transceiver connected to said controller; and

a telephone line interface connected to said DTMF transceiver.

31. The device as recited in claim 30, further comprising a serial communications interface connected to said controller.

32. The device as recited in claim 29, further comprising:

a battery; and

a voltage stabilizer coupled to said controller and to said battery for stabilizing a voltage supplied to said controller by said battery.

33. The device as recited in claim 29, further comprising a digital potentiometer connected to said controller and to said digital-to-analog converter.

34. The device as recited in claim 29, wherein said antenna is part of a headgear assembly.

35. The device as recited in claim 29, further comprising a sensor coupled to said antenna and to said controller for providing a signal indicating improper connection of said antenna.

36. The device as recited in claim 29, further comprising an amplifier assembly connected to said antenna and to said digital-to-analog converter, wherein said controller comprises an input connected to an output of said amplifier assembly.

37. The device as recited in claim 29, wherein said controller is further programmed to count the number of treatments delivered and refuse to deliver additional treatments when the number of treatments delivered equals a predetermined threshold value stored in said controller.

38. A system for treating patients at sites remote from a central office, comprising:

a central treatment management computer programmed to generate first through N-th digital data sets comprising waveform parameters and treatment protocol data, wherein N is a positive integer greater than unity;

means for sending said first through N-th digital data sets from said central treatment management computer to respective first through N-th remote locations; and

means for treating respective first through N-th patients at said first through N-th remote locations, each treatment being a function of the respective one of said first through N-th digital data sets received at the respective remote location.

39. The system as recited in claim 38, wherein said treating means comprise first through N-th radiation treatment devices, each of said radiation treatment devices comprising an antenna and circuitry for driving said antenna to transmit electromagnetic radiation into the brain of the patient, each of said first through N-th patients respectively receiving electromagnetic radiation having properties defined at least in part by said first through N-th digital data sets respectively.

40. The system as recited in claim 39, wherein each of said first through N-th radiation treatment devices comprises a respective telephone line interface and a respective DTMF transceiver for receiving said first through N-th digital data sets respectively via the public telephone switching network.

41. The system as recited in claim 39, further comprising first through N-th PC computers respectively located at said first through N-th remote locations, each of said PC computers being programmed to receive a respective one of said first through N-th digital data sets from said central treatment management computer via the Internet and then load said respective digital data sets into a respective treatment device located at said first through N-th remote locations.

42. The system as recited in claim 39, wherein each of said first through N-th radiation treatment devices comprises an antenna and circuitry for converting a respective one of said first through N-th digital data sets into analog drive signals that are output to said antenna.

43. The system as recited in claim 42, wherein said circuit comprises:

a controller programmed to output digital waveform signals that are a function of waveform parameters and treatment protocol data in a corresponding one of said digital data sets; and

a digital-to-analog converter for converting said digital waveform signals into analog waveform signals, wherein said antenna is driven by drive signals derived from said analog waveform signals.

44. A method of treating patients having a neurological disorder, comprising the following steps:

(a) determining a digital data set that characterizes a radiation treatment for a patient having a neurological disorder;

(b) loading said digital data set into a radiation transmission controller; and

(c) transmitting radiation into a patient'"'"'s brain under the control of said controller, said radiation having properties that are a function of said digital data set.

45. A system comprising a first computer programmed with parameter selection software, said parameter selection software comprising an operator interface for operator selection of parameters characterizing radiation for treating a patient diagnosed to have a neurological disorder and operator input of a load parameter command, and further comprising a routine for outputting a message comprising digital data representing said selected parameters in response to said operator input of said load parameter command.

46. The system as recited in claim 45, further comprising:

a second computer coupled to said first computer via an electrical pathway and programmed to output digital sample values representing radiation, said digital sample values being a function of said digital data; and

an assembly for transmitting radiation that is a function of at least said digital sample values.

47. The system as recited in claim 46, wherein said assembly comprises a head coil antenna designed to transmit radiation into a patient'"'"'s brain.

48. The system as recited in claim 45, further comprising a display screen, wherein said operator interface comprises a graphical user interface, said graphical user interface comprising a first window for selecting an amplitude, a second window for selecting a frequency, and a third window for selecting a waveshape, said first through third windows being displayed concurrently or in sequence on said display screen.

49. The system as recited in claim 47, wherein said head coil antenna comprises an 8-shaped coil.