Minimally invasive monopole phased array hyperthermia applicators and method for treating breast carcinomas
First Claim
1. A hyperthermia applicator for inducing a temperature rise in a human breast, comprisinga source of electric field energy;
- a waveguide comprising an aperture and an electric field radiator disposed within said waveguide and coupled to the source of electric field energy for producing electric field radiation output from the waveguide through the aperture; and
compression means for compressing a human breast to a predetermined thickness, the waveguide being adapted to be disposed such that the compressed breast is positioned to receive electric field radiation from the waveguide.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An RF hyperthermia applicator for inducing a temperature rise in a human female breast for treating carcinomas includes a waveguide applicator having an aperture and a phased-array of monopole electric field radiators coupled to a source of electric field energy for producing electric field radiation output from the waveguide through the aperture. Compression means is used for compressing a human breast to a predetermined thickness. The waveguide is positioned adjacent to the compression means such that the breast is positioned adjacent to the aperture and thereby receives electric field radiation from the waveguide. In another embodiment, at least two waveguide applicators are positioned on opposite sides of the compression means so that the compressed breast is positioned between the opposed apertures of the waveguides. An electric field probe is placed into a target within the breast to assist in focusing the electric field energy into the target.
-
Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A hyperthermia applicator for inducing a temperature rise in a human breast, comprising
a source of electric field energy; -
a waveguide comprising an aperture and an electric field radiator disposed within said waveguide and coupled to the source of electric field energy for producing electric field radiation output from the waveguide through the aperture; and compression means for compressing a human breast to a predetermined thickness, the waveguide being adapted to be disposed such that the compressed breast is positioned to receive electric field radiation from the waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A hyperthermia applicator for inducing a temperature rise in a human breast, comprising
a source of electric field energy; -
a first waveguide comprising a first aperture and a first electric field radiator disposed within the first waveguide and coupled to the source of electric field energy for producing electric field radiation output from the first waveguide through the first aperture; a second waveguide comprising a second aperture and a second electric field radiator disposed within the second waveguide and coupled to the source of electric field energy for producing electric field radiation output from the second waveguide through the second aperture; compression means for compressing a human breast to a predetermined thickness, the first and second waveguides being adapted to be disposed on opposite sides of the compression means such that the compressed breast is positioned to receive electric field radiation from the first and second waveguides. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A method for inducing a temperature rise in a human breast, comprising the steps of:
-
compressing a human breast to a predetermined thickness; positioning adjacent the breast a waveguide comprising an aperture and an electric field radiator disposed within the waveguide and coupled to a source of electric field energy for producing electric field radiation output from the waveguide through the aperture;
irradiating the breast with electric field radiation output from the waveguide aperture to raise the internal temperature of the breast tissue. - View Dependent Claims (30)
-
Specification