Surgical Probe Apparatus and System

• US 20090326371A1
• Filed: 06/25/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Devicor Medical Products Incorporated (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Neoprobe Corporation
• Inventors: McFerron, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 9,671,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/436
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/161 Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting apparatus for radiation diagnosis A61B6/00

Abstract

A system for detecting and locating sources of radiation emissions. A hand-held probe includes a detector configured to generate a low-level electrical signal relating to a radiation source proximate the detector, and a probe wireless link configured to transmit a message containing gamma data relating to the low-level electrical signal. An instrumentation console includes a housing, an integral console wireless link within the housing and configured to receive the message transmitted by the probe wireless link, a receiver electrically coupled to the console wireless link to convert the message to corresponding electrical display signals, and a visually perceivable display electrically coupled to the receiver to convert the electrical display signals to a visually perceivable display relating to the amount of radiation detected.

Claims

1. A system for detecting and locating sources of radiation emissions, comprising:

a hand-held probe including;

a detector configured to generate a low-level electrical signal relating to a radiation source proximate the detector, and

a probe wireless link configured to transmit a message containing gamma data relating to the low-level electrical signal; and

an instrumentation console including;

a housing,

a console wireless link within the housing and configured to receive the message transmitted by the probe wireless link,

a receiver electrically coupled to the console wireless link to convert the message to corresponding electrical display signals, and

a visually perceivable display electrically coupled to the receiver to convert the electrical display signals to a visually perceivable display relating to the amount of radiation detected.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the probe wireless link and the console wireless link employ a BLUETOOTH®

telecommunication protocol.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the detector is a cadmium zinc telluride crystal.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the detector is a cesium iodide scintillating device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the probe further includes a preamplifier configured to amplify the low-level electrical signal to a corresponding output electrical signal.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the preamplifier is further configured to supply an electrical bias to the detector.

7. The system of claim 5, further including a controller configured to receive the output electrical signal, generate the message and forward the message to the probe wireless link.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the instrumentation console further includes a signal processor coupled to the controller.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the signal processor executes at least one of filtering, smoothing, noise reduction and thresholding functions.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a UART coupled to the console wireless link and to the receiver, the UART being configured to receive the message, convert the message to a serial data stream, and forward the serial data stream to the receiver.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an aural output configured to generate an aural signal relating to the gamma data.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the console wireless link and the probe wireless link are both configured as transmitter-receivers for bidirectional communication.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the console wireless link and the probe wireless link are both configured as at least one of radio frequency, visible light, infra-red light sonic and ultrasonic links.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the display is a liquid crystal display.

15. A system for detecting and locating sources of radiation emissions, comprising:

a hand-held probe including;

a cadmium zinc telluride detector crystal configured to generate a low-level electrical signal relating to a radiation source proximate the detector, and

an integral probe wireless link configured to transmit a message containing gamma data relating to the low-level electrical signal, the probe wireless link employing a BLUETOOTH®

telecommunication protocol; and

an instrumentation console including;

a housing,

a console wireless link within the housing and configured to receive the message transmitted by the probe wireless link, the console wireless link employing a BLUETOOTH®

telecommunication protocol,

a receiver electrically coupled to the console wireless link to convert the message to corresponding electrical display signals, and

a visually perceivable display electrically coupled to the receiver to convert the electrical display signals to a visually perceivable display relating to the amount of radiation detected.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the probe further includes a preamplifier configured to amplify the low-level electrical signal to a corresponding output electrical signal.

17. The system of claim 16, further including a controller configured to receive the output electrical signal, generate the message and forward the message to the probe wireless link.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the instrumentation console further includes a signal processor electrically coupled to the controller and adjustable to establish a desired gamma data threshold to be displayed.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising a UART coupled to the console wireless link and to the receiver, the UART being configured to receive the message, convert the message to a serial data stream, and forward the serial data stream to the receiver.

20. A method for detecting and locating sources of radiation emissions, comprising the steps of:

providing a hand-held probe having a detector, and further including a probe wireless link;

providing an instrumentation console having a housing, a console wireless link within the housing and configured to receive data transmitted by the probe wireless link, a receiver electrically coupled to the console wireless link, and a visually perceivable display electrically coupled to the receiver; and

placing the probe proximate a radiation source such that gamma radiation from the radiation source impinges upon the detector, the detector generating a low-level electrical signal, the probe wireless link generating a message containing gamma data relating to the low-level electrical signal and wirelessly transmitting the message to the instrumentation console, the receiver converting the message to corresponding electrical display signals and the display converting the electrical display signals to a visually perceivable display relating to the amount of radiation detected.