Non-invasive method and system for using radio frequency induced hyperthermia to treat medical diseases

• US 20080140063A1
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Delicia Lashaun Munfus, Mark Frazer Miller
• Original Assignee: Delicia Lashaun Munfus, Mark Frazer Miller
• Inventors: Munfus, Delicia Lashaun, Miller, Mark Frazer
• Application Number:
  US11/986,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20080140063A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia

Abstract

A method and system uses heat generated by radio frequency (RF) signals induced hyperthermia to destroy abnormal cells that cause diseases. A patient'"'"'s body is not invaded with any substance or equipment. This invention incorporates a physical phenomenon that occurs when RF signals are added. When the amplitudes of RF signals are added there is a marked increase in the amplitude of the resulting signal. The physics of RF signals causes the intensity of the resulting signal to quadruple. Heat is generated as a result of intensity. In the present invention, multiple RF signals are added at a target location. At this location, preferably the amplitudes of the RF signals that are in phase. When this occurs, the intensity at that target location dramatically increases thereby the heat at that point dramatically increases. The intense heat at the target location destroys the cells at the target location. However, the amplitudes of the RF signals are only added at the target location. As a result, the increased intensity and intense heat only occur at that target location. Therefore, the RF signals do not affect the body at any other location.

Claims

1. A system for using radio frequency signals to treat medical diseases comprising:

an element that identifies one or more abnormal cells and established the identified cell(s) as a target, said identifying element also determines a location of the target;

at least two RF emitters that transmit radio frequency signals; and

a positioning module in communication with the RF emitters and the location determining element for receiving target location information from the location determining element and for positioning the RF emitters such that the RF emitters transmit radio frequency signals through the identified target in a manner such that thermal singularity is achieved at the target location.

2. The system as described in claim 1 further comprising a central controller for controlling operations of the RF emitters and the positioning module, said positioning module being contained in the central controller.

3. The system as described in claim 1 further comprising a firing module for firing the RF emitters at the target location at various firing sequences.

4. The system as described in claim 1 wherein said abnormal cell identifying element comprises a magnetic resonance imaging function.

5. The system as described in claim 1 wherein said abnormal cell identifying element comprises a computed tomography scanner function.

6. The system as described in claim 2 wherein said controller further comprises a signal adjuster module that can vary characteristics of an RF signal transmitted by an RF emitter.

7. A method for using radio frequency signals to treat medical diseases comprising the steps of:

determining a location of an identified target, the target being one or more abnormal cells;

orienting at least two RF emitters that are capable of transmitting an RF signal such that a signal transmitted from an emitter passes through the identified target location; and

firing an RF emitter so that a signal transmitted from an RF emitter will travel through the target location and so that a transmitted RF signal will coalesce with other transmitted RF signals from other RF emitters also traveling through the target location, the signal coalescing action occurring at the target location.

8. The method as described in claim 7 further comprising before said RF emitter firing step, the step of determining target characteristics.

9. The method as described in claim 8 further comprising the step of determining the number of RF emitters to fire at the target location, said emitter number determination being based on one or more determined target characteristics.

10. The method as described in claim 9 further comprising the step of determining the duration of a signal transmission from an RF emitter through the target location, the signal transmission duration determination being related to the target characteristics and the determined number of RF emitters to be fired.

11. The method as described in claim 7 wherein said identified target location determination is accomplished using magnetic resonance imaging techniques.

12. The method as described in claim 7 wherein said identified target location determination is accomplished using computed tomography techniques.

13. The method as described in claim 7 further comprising before said RF emitter firing step, the step of positioning a reflection surface in relation to a patient such that when RF signals are transmitted from RF emitters, the transmitted RF signals will reflect off of the surface of the reflection surface at angles that will cause the reflected RF signals to coalesce at the target location.

14. The method as described in claim 7 wherein said RF emitters orienting step further comprises the steps of:

gathering identified target location information;

determining a location of an RF emitter with reference to the identified target location; and

orienting the RF emitter such that an RF signal transmitted from the emitter will travel through the target location.

15. The method as described in claim 7 wherein said target determination location identification step further comprises identifying the target location by a set of coordinates.

16. The method as described in claim 15 wherein said RF emitters orienting step further comprises the steps of:

gathering coordinates of target location;

calculating an RF emitter location with reference to the identified target location; and

calculating emitter orientation such that a signal transmitted from an RF emitter will travel through the target location.

17. The method as described in claim 16 wherein said RF emitter firing step further comprises establishing a firing sequence such that fired RF signals will coalesce at the identified target location and thereby generate heat at the target location, the heat resulting from the coalescing of the emitted RF signals.

18. The method as described in claim 15 wherein said RF emitters orienting step further comprises the steps of:

calculating coordinates of a target location;

establishing the target location in relation of the predetermined reference location;

calculating the location of an RF emitter in relation to the target location based on a relationship of the RF emitter to the established predefined reference location; and

orienting the RF emitter in relation to the target location.