Automated implantation system for radioisotope seeds

• US 20050209499A1
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 7,959,548 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 2005/101 Magazines or cartridges for seeds
• 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 implantation system assists the implantation of low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure. A Z-axis automated motion control system and an X-Y axis automated motion control system control a needle assembly. The X-Y axis automated motion control system positions an insertion axis of the needle assembly relative to the patient. The Z-axis automated motion control system selectively moves the needle assembly along the insertion axis to implant at least one radioisotope seed. This process is repeated for a plurality of locations on a base plane perpendicular to the insertion axis. Preferably, the radioisotope seeds are contained in a replaceable cartridge and the needle assembly is also replaceable.

Claims

1. An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

a storage structure adapted to hold a plurality of radioisotope seeds;

a needle assembly;

a Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and into the patient and selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the storage structure into the needle assembly;

an ultrasound probe; and

a computer processor operably connected to the Z-axis automated motion control systems and to the ultrasound probe that captures and stores at least one image from the ultrasound probe with the needle assembly in position in the patient to selectively place at least one radioisotope seed so as to form a record of the brachytherapy procedure.

2. The automated implantation system of claim 1, wherein the implantation station further comprises:

an X-Y axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly in a plane perpendicular to the insertion axis; and

wherein the computer processor captures and stores an image from the ultrasound probe each time the needle assembly is located at a different position in the plane perpendicular to the insertion axis by the X-Y axis automated motion control system.

3. The automated implantation system of claim 1, wherein the computer processor captures and stores the at least one image from the ultrasound probe when the needle assembly is moved forward along the insertion axis to a distal most location where radioisotope seeds will be placed.

4. The automated implantation system of claim 1, wherein the computer processor further includes a user interface that displays information about the automated implantation system and accepts commands from a user to control the process of implanting the plurality of radioisotope seeds in the patient and wherein images from the ultrasound probe are displayed on the user interface in a separate window on the user interface.

5. An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

a seed cartridge having an aperture and containing at least a plurality of radioisotope seeds preloaded into the cartridge;

a needle assembly;

a Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and into the patient and selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the seed cartridge into the needle assembly; and

a force sensor that senses forces on the needle assembly along the insertion axis and is operably connected to at least the needle automated motion control system.

6. The automated implantation system of claim 5, wherein the force sensor senses whether the needle encounters resistance above an expected force for piercing tissue when the needle automated motion control system advances the needle assembly and, in response, the needle automated motion control system stops advancing the needle assembly.

7. The automated implantation system of claim 6, wherein the needle automated motion control system is mounted in a compliant mount and the force sensor is mounted at a rear of the needle automated motion control system, the compliant mount providing with a minimum travel distance in the event that the needle assembly encounters resistance above the expected force for piercing tissue that forms a safety buffer to allow the needle assembly to retract.

8. The automated implantation system of claim 6, wherein the force sensor comprises a load cell mounted in a compliant mount at a rear of the needle assembly, the compliant mount providing with a minimum travel distance in the event that the needle encounters resistance above the expected force for piercing tissue that forms a safety buffer to allow the needle to retract.

9. The automated implantation system of claim 5, wherein the force sensor senses whether the needle assembly has advanced into a non-tissue region and, in response, a user interface operably connected to the automated motion control system provides an indication to a user that the needle assembly has advanced into the non-tissue region.

10. A method of operating an automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

(a) using an ultrasound probe to establish a base plane for a position of an organ being treated in the brachytherapy procedure;

(b) using the automated implantation system to implant low dose radioisotope seeds in the patient with at least a Z-axis automated motion control system that implants radioisotope seeds to a depth determined in relation to the base plane;

(c) monitoring the position of the organ during step (b); and

(d) automatically adjusting the base plane used in step (b) in response to any movement in the position of the organ during the brachytherapy procedure.

11. A method of operating an automated implantation system having a Z-axis automated motion control system and an X-Y axis automated motion control system that control at least a needle assembly for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

(a) providing an ultrasound probe to establish a base plane for a position of an organ being treated in the brachytherapy procedure;

(b) using the automated implantation system to implant low dose radioisotope seeds in the patient with the Z-axis automated motion control system implanting radioisotope seeds along an insertion axis generally perpendicular to the base plane and the X-Y automated motion control system moving the insertion axis in the base plane;

(c) automatically capturing and storing at least one image from the ultrasound probe for each unique position of the insertion axis in the base plane so as to form a record of the brachytherapy procedure.