Gapped resonant microwave apparatus for producing hyperthermia therapy of tumors
First Claim
1. An apparatus for treating biological tissue by microwave induced hyperthermia comprising:
- (a) a primary resonant source of microwave energy,(b) a resonant microwave circuit including a pair of resonant waveguide means coupled to said primary resonant source to form a resonant loop having a gap between spaced ends of said waveguide means, and wherein a dielectric loading comprising the biological tissue to be treated is adapted to be located within said gap, and(c) layered dielectric means at each of said spaced ends providing an interface between said tissue and said waveguide means for optimally coupling said microwave energy in opposite directions, said layered dielectric means including a plurality of dielectric media with each dielectric medium providing a gradual increase in intrinsic impedance in the direction of propagation of said microwave energy.
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Abstract
Apparatus and process for elevating the temperature of a tumor (22) by hyperthermia without unduly heating healthy tissue surrounding the tumor containing tissue, and controlling generally the temperature distribution within any dielectric medium put in place of the tissue (20), which medium acts as a dielectric load in the microwave circuit. The apparatus comprises a gapped, resonant microwave circuit having matching media for matching the intrinsic impedance of the dielectric load to the intrinsic impedance of any medium within the waveguides (16) and 16'"'"') which serve to conduct the microwave beams to the tissue (20) to be treated. Heat may be removed from the dielectric fluid (38) of a dielectric matching medium by circulating the dielectric fluid to a heat exchanger (41).
107 Citations
31 Claims
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1. An apparatus for treating biological tissue by microwave induced hyperthermia comprising:
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(a) a primary resonant source of microwave energy, (b) a resonant microwave circuit including a pair of resonant waveguide means coupled to said primary resonant source to form a resonant loop having a gap between spaced ends of said waveguide means, and wherein a dielectric loading comprising the biological tissue to be treated is adapted to be located within said gap, and (c) layered dielectric means at each of said spaced ends providing an interface between said tissue and said waveguide means for optimally coupling said microwave energy in opposite directions, said layered dielectric means including a plurality of dielectric media with each dielectric medium providing a gradual increase in intrinsic impedance in the direction of propagation of said microwave energy. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23)
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2. An apparatus for treating biological tissue by microwave induced hyperthermia comprising:
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(a) a primary resonant source of microwave energy, (b) a resonant microwave circuit including a pair of resonant waveguide means coupled to said primary resonant source to form a resonant loop having a gap between spaced ends of said waveguide means, and the biological tissue to be treated comprising the dielectric loading adapted to be located within said gap, and (c) means interposed between said dielectric loading and each of the spaced ends of waveguide means interfacing said waveguide means and said tissue for optimally coupling said microwave energy of said microwave circuit in opposite directions, said coupling means including (1) a wedge-shaped dielectric medium in contact with a medium having an intrinsic impedance and (2) a dielectric fluid-filled nonmetallic enclosure in contact with both said wedge-shaped dielectric medium and a medium of higher intrinsic impedance. - View Dependent Claims (22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification