Apparatus and method for delivering ablative laser energy and determining the volume of tumor mass destroyed

• US 20070100229A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novian Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novian Health, Inc.
• Inventors: Dowlatshahi, Kambiz
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2005 with beam delivery through an interstitially insertable device, e.g. needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/206 the laser light passing along a liquid-filled conduit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/063 for measuring volume
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0414 with compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining a volume of tumor mass destroyed. The present invention includes a temperature probe and a laser probe having a temperature sensor. The laser probe and temperature probe are inserted to measure a temperature of the tumor mass and a temperature of tissue mass surrounding the tumor mass. By determining the volume of tumor mass destroyed, a graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed is provided whereby real-time visual monitoring of the destruction of the tumor mass is achieved.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining volume of tissue mass destroyed, said apparatus comprising:

a laser probe;

a temperature probe configured to measure a tissue temperature in proximity to the tissue mass;

a computer control system configured to be electrically connected to the laser probe and temperature probe, said computer control system configured to determine a volume of tissue mass destroyed based at least in part on said tissue temperature and placement of the probes; and

a display operable with the computer control system to display a graphical representation of said volume of tissue mass destroyed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation includes a bar graph.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser probe is configured to receive an optical fiber to direct a desired amount of laser radiation into the tissue mass.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser probe has a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of said tissue mass, and said computer control system is configured to determine the volume of tissue mass destroyed also based on said tissue mass temperature.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature probe is configured to measure a plurality of tissue temperatures which are in proximity to the tissue mass, and said computer control system is configured to determine the volume of tissue mass destroyed also based on said plurality of tissue temperatures.

6. An apparatus for displaying a volume of tissue mass destroyed, said apparatus comprising:

at least one device operable to measure a temperature of the tissue mass and measure a tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass; and

a display operable with the at least one device to display a graphical representation of the volume of tissue mass destroyed based at least in part on the tissue mass temperature and the tissue temperature.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one device includes a laser probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to measure the temperature of the tissue mass.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one device includes a temperature probe having a temperature sensor operable to measure the tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one device includes a temperature probe having a plurality of temperature sensors operable to measure a plurality of tissue temperatures which are in proximity of the tissue mass.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the at least one device includes a laser probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to measure the temperature of the tissue mass and a temperature probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to measure the tissue temperature at a set distance from the laser probe.

11. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the graphical representation includes a bar graph.

12. An apparatus for displaying a volume of tissue mass destroyed, said apparatus comprising:

at least one device operable to determine a temperature of the tissue mass and determine at least one tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass; and

a display operable with the at least one device to display a graphical representation of the volume of tissue mass destroyed based at least in part on the tissue mass temperature and the tissue temperature.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one device includes a laser probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to determine the temperature of the tissue mass.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one device includes a temperature probe having a temperature sensor operable to determine the tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one device includes a temperature probe having a plurality of temperature sensors operable to determine a plurality of tissue temperatures which are in proximity of the tissue mass.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one device includes a laser probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to determine the temperature of the tissue mass and a temperature probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to determine the tissue temperature at a set distance from the laser probe.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the graphical representation of the volume of tissue mass destroyed includes a bar graph.

18. An apparatus for displaying a volume of tissue mass destroyed, said apparatus comprising:

at least one device operable to measure a tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass; and

a display operable with the at least one device to display a graphical representation of the volume of tissue mass destroyed based at least in part on the tissue temperature.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one device includes a temperature probe having a temperature sensor operable to measure the tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one device includes a temperature probe having a plurality of temperature sensors operable to measure a plurality of tissue temperatures which are in proximity of the tissue mass.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the graphical representation includes a bar graph.

22. An apparatus for displaying a volume of tissue mass destroyed, said apparatus comprising:

means for measuring at least a temperature at one point in proximity of the tissue mass; and

means for displaying a graphical representation of the volume of the tissue mass destroyed based at least in part on the tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the measuring means is for measuring a plurality of temperatures at a plurality of points in proximity of the tissue mass, and wherein the graphical representation of the volume of the tissue mass destroyed is also based on said plurality of temperatures.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the graphical representation includes a bar graph.

25. An apparatus for displaying a volume of a tissue mass destroyed, said apparatus comprising:

means for measuring a temperature of at least part of the tissue mass;

means for measuring at least a temperature at one point in proximity of the tissue mass; and

means for displaying a graphical representation of the volume of the tissue mass destroyed based at least in part on the tissue mass temperature and tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the measuring means is for measuring a plurality of temperatures at a plurality of points in proximity of the tissue mass, and wherein the graphical representation of the volume of the tissue mass destroyed is also based on said plurality of temperatures.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the graphical representation includes a bar graph.

28. An apparatus displaying a volume of a tissue mass destroyed, the apparatus comprising:

means for measuring a temperature of at least part of the tissue mass;

means for measuring at least a temperature at one point in proximity of the tissue mass; and

means for providing a graphical representation of the volume of the tissue mass destroyed based at least in part upon measuring temperature of at least part of the tissue mass and at least one point in proximity of the tissue mass, wherein the graphical representation of the volume of the tissue mass destroyed is superimposed onto an image of the tissue mass to provide real-time visual monitoring of the destroyed tissue mass.

29. A system for delivering laser energy to a tissue mass, said system comprising:

at least one device operable to provide a desired amount of laser energy to the tissue mass, said at least one device operable to measure a temperature of the tissue mass and a tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass; and

a display operable with the at least one device to display a graphical representation of a volume of tissue mass destroyed based at least in part on the tissue mass temperature and the tissue temperature.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one device includes a laser probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to measure the temperature of the tissue mass.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one device includes a temperature probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to measure the tissue temperature.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one device includes a temperature probe having a plurality of temperature sensors operable to measure a plurality of tissue temperatures which are in proximity of the tissue mass.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein the at least one device includes a laser probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to measure the temperature of the tissue mass and a temperature probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to measure the tissue temperature at a set distance from the laser probe.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the graphical representation includes a bar graph.

35. A system for delivering laser energy to a tissue mass, said system comprising:

a first device operable to deliver a desired amount of laser energy to the tissue mass; and

a display operable with the at least one device to display a graphical representation of a volume of the tissue mass destroyed based at least in part on the amount of laser energy delivered by the at least one device and a tissue temperature in proximately to the tissue mass.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the first device is also operable to determine a tissue mass temperature, wherein the graphical representation is also based on the said tissue mass temperature.

37. The system of claim 35, which includes a second device operable to determine said tissue temperature in proximity to the tissue mass, wherein the graphical representation is also based on said tissue temperature.

38. The system of claim 35, wherein the graphical representation includes a bar graph.

39. A system for delivering laser energy to a tissue mass, said system comprising:

a first device operable to provide a desired amount of laser energy to the tissue mass, said first device operable to determine a temperature of the tissue mass; and

a second device operable to determine a tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass; and

a display operable with the device to display a graphical representation of the volume of tissue mass destroyed based at least on the tissue mass temperature and the tissue temperature.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the second device is operable to determine a plurality of tissue temperatures which are in proximity of the tissue mass, and the graphical representation of the volume of tissue mass destroyed is also based on said plurality of tissue temperatures.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein the graphical representation includes a bar graph.

42. An apparatus for delivering laser energy to a tissue mass, the apparatus comprising:

a laser probe;

a temperature probe operable to measure a temperature of a tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass; and

a display operable to display a graphical representation of the volume of tissue mass destroyed based at least in part on the tissue temperature.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the laser probe has at least one temperature sensor operable to measure the temperature of the tissue mass.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the temperature probe has at least one temperature sensor operable to measure the tissue temperature.

45. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the temperature probe has a plurality of sensors operable to measure a plurality of tissue temperatures in proximity to the tissue mass.

46. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the graphical representation includes a graph.

47. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the laser probe is operable to receive an optical fiber to direct a desired amount of laser radiation into the tissue mass.

48. An apparatus for displaying a failure to deliver a desired amount of laser energy to a tissue mass during laser energy treatment, said apparatus comprising:

a first device operable to deliver laser energy to the tissue mass;

a second device operable to measure a temperature of a tissue temperature in proximity of the tissue mass; and

at least one display device operable to display an indication of a failure to deliver the desired amount of laser energy to the tissue mass based at least in part on the tissue temperature.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the first device includes a laser probe having a temperature sensor operable to measure the temperature of the tissue mass, and wherein the indication of the failure to deliver the desired amount of laser energy to the tissue mass is also based on the tissue mass temperature.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the second device includes a temperature probe having at least one temperature sensor operable to measure said tissue temperature.

51. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the second device includes a temperature probe having a plurality of temperature sensor operable to measure a plurality of tissue temperatures in proximity to the tissue mass, and wherein the indication of the failure to deliver the desired amount of laser energy to the tissue mass is also based on said plurality of tissue temperatures.

52. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein the first device is formed to receive an optical fiber to direct a desired amount of laser radiation into the tissue mass.

53. An apparatus for delivering laser energy to a tissue mass, the apparatus comprising:

a device operable to deliver a desired amount of laser energy to the tissue mass;

means for determining a temperature of the tissue mass and a tissue temperature in proximity to the tissue mass to detect a failure in destroying the tissue mass; and

at least one display device operable to display a failure in destroying the tissue mass during laser treatment.