Method and apparatus for automatic tracking and identification of device components

• US 20060135843A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Heath, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,722,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1008 Apparatus for temporary insertion of sources, e.g. afterloaders
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1007 Arrangements or means for the introduction of sources into the body

Abstract

Embodiments of an apparatus and method to track and identify radioactive sources are described. In one embodiment, a device includes first housing for a radioactive source having a first electronic tag, a second housing for the radioactive source having a second electronic tag, and a guide tube that couples the first housing with the second housing. The guide tube includes a third electronic tag. The first, second, and third electronic tags communicate with each other to confirm automatically a delivery path for the radioactive source. In one embodiment, the electronic tags may be a radio frequency identification device (RFID).

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

coupling a first end of a guide tube to a first housing for a radioactive source and a second end of the guide tube to a second housing for the radioactive source; and

identifying the coupling of the guide tube to one or both of the first housing and the second housing with one or more electronic tags disposed on at least one of the guide tube, first housing, and second housing to communicate identification information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein tags disposed on the guide tube, first housing, and second housing communicate identification information with each other.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic tags comprise radio frequency identification devices, and wherein identifying further comprises relaying identification information from the electronic tag disposed on the second housing to the electronic tag disposed on the first housing through the electronic tag disposed on the guide tube.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying further comprises confirming a secure attachment of the guide tube to the first housing and the second housing.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein identifying further comprises storing audit data on the radio frequency identification devices.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second housing comprises a multi-channel radioactive source applicator, and wherein identifying further comprises signaling information related to a coupling of a first channel of the multi-channel radioactive source applicator to the guide tube.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first housing comprises a multi-port afterloader, and wherein identifying further comprises signaling information related to a coupling of a first port of the multi-port afterloader to the guide tube.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the second housing comprises a multi-channel, radioactive source container chamber, and wherein identifying further comprises signaling information related to a coupling of a first channel of the multi-channel, radioactive source container chamber to the guide tube.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first housing comprises a multi-port afterloader, and wherein identifying further comprises signaling information related to a coupling of a first port of the multi-port afterloader to the guide tube.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying comprises:

identifying the coupling of the guide tube and the first and second housings as being incorrect for use as a radioactive source delivery path in a prescribed plan; and

selecting the coupling as the radioactive source delivery path for the prescribed plan after identifying the coupling as being incorrect for the prescribed plan.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein identifying the coupling as being incorrect comprises determining attachment of the guide tube to one or more incorrect ports on a least one port of the first and second housing.

10. A method, comprising:

determining a radioactive source delivery path comprising an afterloader, a guide tube, and an applicator; and

coupling the afterloader having a first electronic identification tag to a first end of the guide tube and a second end of the guide tube to the applicator having a second electronic identification tag, the guide tube having a third electronic identification tag, the first, second, and third identification tags being operable to communicate with each other to confirm the determined radioactive source delivery path.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein coupling further comprises confirming a secure attachment of the guide tube to the applicator and the afterloader.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first, second, and third electronic identification tags comprise a radio frequency identification device, and wherein coupling further comprises communicating a signal from the second electronic identification tag to the first electronic identification tag through a relay with the third electronic identification tag.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein communicating further comprises storing audit data on the radio frequency identification devices.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the afterloader comprises a plurality of ports, and wherein communicating further comprises identifying a first port coupled to the first end of the guide tube.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the applicator comprises a plurality of channels to receive a radioactive source, and wherein communicating further comprises identifying a first channel coupled to the second end of the guide tube.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

a first housing for a radioactive source;

a second housing for the radioactive source; and

a guide tube to couple the first housing with the second housing, wherein the first housing, the second housing and the guide tube use one or more electronic tags to communicate with each other to confirm automatically a delivery path for the radioactive source.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first housing has a first electronic tag, the second housing has a second electronic tag, and the guide has a third electronic tag.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first, second, and third electronic tags comprise a radio frequency identification tag for wireless communication of information between each electronic tag.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first housing comprises an afterloader and the second housing comprises an applicator to form the delivery path for the radioactive source to a patient.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first housing comprises an afterloader and the second housing comprises a radioactive source container chamber.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the radio frequency identification tag is disposed on a surface of the first housing, second housing, and guide tube.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the radio frequency identification tag is embedded within the first housing, second housing, and guide tube.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the afterloader further comprises a plurality of ports to couple to the guide tube, and wherein the first electronic tag contains information related to a first port that is coupled to the guide tube.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the applicator further comprises a plurality of channels to receive the radioactive source, and wherein the second electronic tag contains information related to the a first channel that is coupled to the guide tube.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the afterloader further comprises a plurality of ports to couple to the guide tube, and wherein the first electronic tag contains information related to a first port that is coupled to the guide tube.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the radioactive source container chamber further comprises a plurality of channels to receive the radioactive source, and wherein the second electronic tag contains information related to the a first channel that is coupled to the guide tube.

29. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a controller to determine that a coupling of the guide tube and the first and second housing is incorrect for a prescribed plan and to adjust the prescribed plan to use the delivery path for the radioactive source.

30. An apparatus, comprising:

a first radio frequency identification device tag disposed on a radioactive source afterloader;

a second radio frequency identification device tag disposed on a radioactive source applicator;

a third radio frequency identification device tag disposed on a guide tube to couple the radioactive source afterloader with the radioactive source applicator; and

a radio frequency identification device tag controller disposed on the radioactive source afterloader to coordinate the communication between the first, second, and third radio frequency identification device tags.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the radio frequency identification device tag controller receives signals from the first, second, and third radio frequency identification device tags related to the coupling of the guide tube with the radioactive source afterloader and the radioactive source applicator.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the radio frequency identification device tag controller receives signals from the first, second, and third radio frequency identification device tags related to audit information.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the radioactive source afterloader comprises a plurality of ports to couple with the guide tube, and wherein the radio frequency identification device tag controller receives information from the first radio frequency identification device tag related to a first port coupled to the guide tube.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the radioactive source applicator comprises a plurality of channels to couple with the guide tube, and wherein the radio frequency identification device tag controller receives information from the second radio frequency identification device tag related to a first channel coupled to the guide tube.