Transparent electromegnetic applicator and hyperthermia treatment method
First Claim
1. An applicator for application of electromagnetic energy to an area of tissue, comprising:
- a visually-transparent interfacing assembly, having a conformable tissue-engaging surface and an opposed antenna-engaging surface, wherein the interfacing assembly has a high dielectric constant;
at least one balanced, circularly-polarized antenna disposed in a plane substantially parallel and adjacent to the antenna-engaging surface of the interfacing assembly, the antenna having sufficient open area to enable visual viewing of the tissue-engaging surface through the antenna and the interface assembly; and
a feed coupled to the antenna to enable injection of electromagnetic energy into the antenna.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An applicator and method for application of electromagnetic energy to an area of tissue is described. The applicator includes a visually-transparent, high-dielectric interfacing assembly which has a conformable tissue-engaging surface and an opposed antenna-engaging surface. At least one balanced, circularly-polarized antenna is disposed in a plane substantially parallel and adjacent to the antenna-engaging surface. The interfacing assembly and at least one antenna are substantially transparent to enable visual viewing of the area of tissue. This enables monitoring of the tissue for adverse treatment effects while electromagnetic energy is being applied to the at least one antenna and radiated into the tissue.
37 Citations
34 Claims
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1. An applicator for application of electromagnetic energy to an area of tissue, comprising:
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a visually-transparent interfacing assembly, having a conformable tissue-engaging surface and an opposed antenna-engaging surface, wherein the interfacing assembly has a high dielectric constant;
at least one balanced, circularly-polarized antenna disposed in a plane substantially parallel and adjacent to the antenna-engaging surface of the interfacing assembly, the antenna having sufficient open area to enable visual viewing of the tissue-engaging surface through the antenna and the interface assembly; and
a feed coupled to the antenna to enable injection of electromagnetic energy into the antenna. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An applicator for application of electromagnetic energy to an area of tissue, comprising:
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a flexible, visually-transparent dielectric container having a bottom tissue-engaging surface and a top antenna-engaging surface;
a visually-transparent dielectric material disposed within the dielectric container and having a dielectric constant of at least 2;
an array of twin-spiral antennas disposed in a plane proximate to the antenna-engaging surface, wherein non-conducting area within and between elements of the twin-spiral antennas is transparent; and
at least one feed coupled to the array of twin-spiral antennas and configured to conduct electromagnetic energy injected into the feed to at least one of the twin-spiral antennas. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of performing hyperthermia therapy at a tissue site comprising the steps of:
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(a) applying a transparent layer of high-dielectric material to the tissue site;
(b) placing at least one antenna proximate to the transparent high-dielectric material opposite the treatment site;
(c) applying electromagnetic energy to the antenna to cause electromagnetic radiation to radiate into the tissue site; and
(d) viewing the tissue site through the antenna and transparent high-dielectric material during therapy. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification