Radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus

• US 5,014,708 A
• Filed: 12/28/1988
• Issued: 05/14/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Optical Company Ltd. (Olympus Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Takayama, Shuichi, Hibino, Hiroki, Hayashi, Masaaki, Inaba, Makoto, Hashiguchi, Toshihiko, Yanagawa, Yutaka, Tagawa, Motoyuki, Tsukaya, Takashi, Sasa, Hiroyuki, Ohshima, Yutaka, Ishihara, Koichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pfaffle, Krista M.
• Application Number:
  US07/290,947
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 128/4, 128/653 R, 128/654, 128/656, 128/657, 128/658, 128/659, 128/660.03, 128/662.06, 128/305, 604/22, 606/46, 606/47
• US Class Current: 600/436
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/082 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0216 Sampling brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00079 Radioactivity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22068 Centering
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00196 reciprocating lengthwise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/425 using detectors specially adapted to be used in the interior of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4461 Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1047 having centering means, e.g. balloons having an appropriate shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1014 Intracavitary radiation therapy
• 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

The radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus of the present invention has an insertable part to be inserted toward an affected part. A therapeutic apparatus for treating the affected part, and a radioactive ray detecting apparatus for detecting radioactive rays discharged out of the affected part and providing signals by which to direct the therapeutic apparatus to the affected part, are provided in the tip part of the insertable part.

Claims

1. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus comprising:

an insertable part to be inserted toward an effected part within a body;

a therapeutic means provided in a tip part of said insertable part for treating said affected part; and

a radioactive ray detecting means in said insertable part for detecting radioactive rays discharged out of said affected part and providing signals by which to direct an operator to guide said therapeutic means to said affected part.

3. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising a radioactive ray attenuating means for regulating a direction in which the radioactive rays discharged out of said affected part enter said radioactive ray detecting means.

4. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said radioactive ray attenuating means includes a radioactive ray attenuating member positioned to enclose the periphery of said radioactive ray detecting means except in a predetermined radioactive ray detecting direction.

5. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said radioactive ray attenuating means comprises a radioactive ray attenuating member having a plurality of apertures opening in radial directions of said insertable part.

6. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said radioactive ray attenuating means comprises a plurality of radioactive ray attenuating members each member having a plurality of apertures, each of said plurality of apertures opening in a direction substantially at a right angle to the axial direction of said insertable part and said members apertures opening in radial directions intersecting at right angles with directions of the other members.

7. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said therapeutic means is a heat generating device for cauterizing said affected part.

8. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said therapeutic means is an ultrasonic device for resecting tissue of said affected part by means of ultrasonic vibration and wherein said apparatus further includes sucking means for removing said resected tissue.

9. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 8 wherein a telescope is provided in said insertable part and said radioactive ray detecting means is provided in a tip part of said telescope.

10. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 8 further including a radioactive ray detecting pipe, a sheath which forms part of said insertable part, and a telescope, wherein said radioactive detecting means is provided in a tip part of said radioactive ray detecting pipe which is inserted into said sheath together with said telescope, and said therapeutic means includes a vibration transmitting member for resecting tissue of the affected part.

11. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said ultrasonic device includes a vibration transmitting member and said radioactive ray detecting means is provided in a tip part of said vibration transmitting member.

12. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said ultrasonic device includes a vibration transmitting member including a sucking path and a fiber protecting pipe, and wherein said radioactive ray detecting means is provided in a tip part of said fiber protecting pipe which is inserted in said insertable part through said sucking path within the vibration transmitting member.

13. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 12, further including a supporting member, wherein said fiber protecting pipe is supported from the vibration transmitting member by said supporting member at a node of the vibration of said vibration transmitting member when the ultrasonic probe vibrates.

14. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a biopsic forceps for taking samples of tissue cells of said affected part.

15. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means is enclosed within biopsic cups of said biopsic forceps comprised of a radioactive ray attenuating material, except while said forceps is taking samples of tissue cells.

16. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said radioactive ray attenuating member includes any one of the group consisting of lead, tungsten, stainless steel, lead glass, concrete, steel and mercury.

17. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said therapeutic means is a warming treating tool for warming and treating said affected part.

18. A radioactive detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 17 comprising a balloon in the tip part of the insertable part and further comprising warming electrodes and detecting window through which said radioactive rays enter the radioactive ray detecting means.

19. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an ultrasonic imaging probe for obtaining an ultrasonic picture image within a body.

20. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising an ultrasonic picture image display means for displaying said ultrasonic picture image of the body in which said radioactive rays are detected by said radioactive ray detecting means.

21. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said ultrasonic probe is provided with a driving means for moving said insertable part in a axial direction.

22. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said ultrasonic probe is provided with a driving means for rotating said insertable part about an axis of rotation.

23. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a cell diagnosing brush for taking cells of the affected part.

24. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means is provided in a tip part of said cell diagnosing brush.

25. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said therapeutic means is an injection needle for administering a medicinal solution to the affected part.

26. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means is provided in a tip part of said injection needle.

27. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means is a silicon p-n junction type device.

28. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means is a scintillator.

29. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said radioactive ray detecting means is a scintillating plastic optical fiber.

2. A radioactive ray detecting therapeutic apparatus comprising:

an insertable part to be inserted toward an affected part within a body;

a therapeutic means provided in a tip part of said insertable part for treating said affected part; and

a radioactive ray detecting means provided in a tip part of said insertable part for detecting radioactive rays discharged out of said affected part and providing signals by which to direct an operator to guide said therapeutic means to said affected part.