Lithotriptor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A lithotriptor for disintegrating a calculus in a patient comprising:
- a shockwave generator for generating shockwaves for disintegrating said calculus;
an x-ray system for generating an image of said calculus during disintegraton;
a detection circuit connected to said x-ray system for generating a signal corresponding to the degree of disintegration of said calculus; and
means for preventing said shockwave generator from supplying further shockwaves to said patient when said signal from said detection circuit reaches a predetermined value.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A lithotriptor station has a shockwave generator connected to a drive circuit and an x-ray system for generating an image of the calculi to be disintegrated. An output of the x-ray system is applied to a detection circuit which forms an electrical signal corresponding to the degree of calculus disintegration in the x-ray image. The electrical signal is supplied through a computer to the drive circuit for the shockwave generator for controlling the number of shockwaves administered.
-
Citations
7 Claims
-
1. A lithotriptor for disintegrating a calculus in a patient comprising:
-
a shockwave generator for generating shockwaves for disintegrating said calculus; an x-ray system for generating an image of said calculus during disintegraton; a detection circuit connected to said x-ray system for generating a signal corresponding to the degree of disintegration of said calculus; and means for preventing said shockwave generator from supplying further shockwaves to said patient when said signal from said detection circuit reaches a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A lithotriptor for disintegrating calculi in a patient comprising:
-
a shockwave generator for generating shockwaves for disintegrating said calculi; a drive means for driving said shockwave generator; an x-ray system for generating an x-ray image of said calculus during disintegration thereof; a detection circuit connected to an output of said x-ray system for generating a signal corresponding to the degree of disintegration of said calculus; and means connected to an output of said detection circuit and connected for controlling operation of said drive means for stopping said drive means and preventing further shockwaves from being generated when said signal from said detection circuit reaches a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for operating a lithotriptor for disintegrating calculi in a patient by administering shockwaves to said calculi comprising the steps of:
-
applying shockwaves to said patient for disintegrating said calculi; generating an x-ray image of said calculi during disintegration; generating a signal from said x-ray image during disintegration corresponding to the degree of disintegration of said calculi; and using said signal corresponding to the degree of disintegration to automatically stop application of said shockwaves to said calculi when said signal reaches a predetermined value.
-
Specification