READERS THAT COOPERATE WITH SINGLE-USE INTERNAL DOSIMETERS FOR DETECTING RADIATION IN MEDICAL PROCEDURES/THERAPIES

• US 20090121144A1
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VTQ IP Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sicel Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Widener, Steven R., Mann, Gregory Glenwood, Lehman, Phillip M., Black, Robert D., Carroll, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,897,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/370.70
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1072 taking into account movement of the target
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1048 Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1071 for verifying the dose delivered by the treatment plan
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/026 Semiconductor dose-rate meters

Abstract

Methods, systems, devices, and computer program products include positioning single-use radiation internal dosimeters with MOSFETs into a patient to evaluate the radiation dose delivered during a medical procedure or treatment session. The MOSFETs can be unpowered during irradiation.

Claims

1. A portable medical radiation dose reader, comprising:

a portable housing; and

a circuit held in the portable housing, the circuit configured to communicate with an electronic memory of at least one single use internal dosimeter to obtain voltage threshold data corresponding to a dose amount of radiation exposure that the at least one dosimeter is exposed to during irradiation and to prompt a user to input predetermined data associated with dose evaluation, patient data and/or clinic data.

2. The reader of claim 1, wherein the reader is also configured to communicate with an electronic memory of at least one single use external skin mount radiation dosimeter patch to obtain voltage threshold data corresponding to a dose amount of radiation exposure that the at least one patch is exposed to during irradiation and to prompt a user to input predetermined data associated with dose evaluation, patient data and/or clinic data

3. The reader of claim 2, wherein the reader comprises a port that is configured to receive an input portion of the internal and surface mount dosimeter to make electrical contact therewith to communicate with the electronic memory to obtain the threshold data corresponding to the dose amount of radiation exposure the at least one internal and/or surface mount patch dosimeter is exposed to during the administering of therapeutic radiation.

4. The reader of claim 1, wherein the reader is configured to identify what type of dosimeter is undergoing evaluation and provides a selectable list of differently configured dosimeters, including an external skin mount patch and a plurality of different internal dosimeters, all configured to be evaluated by the dose reader.

5. The reader of claim 1, wherein the reader is configured to prompt a user to identify the dosimeter configuration being evaluated.

6. The reader of claim 1, wherein the reader circuit automatically identifies the type of dosimeter being evaluated based on data in the electronic memory of the dosimeter.

7. The reader of claim 1, wherein the reader prompts a clinician to enter data associated with a particular patient and/or medical procedure and determines radiation exposure received by the patient.

8. The reader of claim 1 in combination with the internal single-use

radiation dosimeter, the dosimeter comprising:

at least one radiation sensor circuit with a MOSFET having an associated threshold voltage that changes when exposed to radiation to provide quantifiable radiation exposure data, wherein the radiation sensor circuit is unpowered during irradiation;

electronic memory having radiation calibration data for the MOSFET; and

a reader contact zone on the dosimeter configured to allow the portable reader to electrically engage the dosimeter to obtain radiation exposure and calibration data, wherein the single-use dosimeter is configured for use during a single medical treatment session.

9. The reader and dosimeter combination of claim 8, wherein the dosimeter includes a tab portion that defines the reader contact zone and is configured to enter a port in the portable reader to electronically engage the reader with the radiation sensor circuit and the electronic memory.

10. The reader and dosimeter combination of claim 8, wherein the dosimeter has a body that is configured as a rectal probe.

11. The reader and dosimeter combination of claim 10, wherein the rectal probe includes an outwardly extending tab portion that defines the reader contact zone and is configured to enter a port in the portable reader to electronically engage the reader with the radiation sensor circuit and the electronic memory.

12. The reader and dosimeter combination of claim 8, wherein the dosimeter is sized and configured to be slidably received in at least one of a plurality of open catheters held in a transcutaneous geometric matrix during HDR (high dose rate) brachytherapy to provide radiation dose estimates of a radioactive source that travels in the open catheters into the patient.

13. The reader and dosimeter combination of claim 8, wherein the dosimeter comprises a plurality of axially spaced apart radiation sensor circuits held on a common flex circuit, each having a respective single operative MOSFET configured to provide dose data at a plurality of internal depth locations.

14. The reader and dosimeter combination of claim 8, wherein the dosimeter is biocompatible and sterilized and held in a sealed package for medical use.