Method and apparatus for radiopharmaceutical-guided biopsy

• US 5,961,457 A
• Filed: 05/03/1996
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: University of Michigan
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Inventors: Wahl, Richard L., Raylman, Raymond R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANTIS MERCADER, ELENI M
• Application Number:
  US08/642,840
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 128/653.1, 128/659, 128/654, 128/920, 128/922, 378/4, 378/901, 250/363.02, 382/128, 600/407, 600/436, 600/431
• US Class Current: 600/436
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4057 by using radiation sources located in the interior of the body A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/583 using calibration phantoms

Abstract

A medical method and apparatus for the localization and biospy of lesions in a patient body part. A radiopharmaceutical is administered to the patient followed by placement of the body part within a scanner for obtaining emission data. The emission data is converted into Cartesian coordinates which are used to guide a sampling instrument for the biopsy of said lesion.

Claims

1. A method for the localization and biopsy of lesions, comprising the steps of:

a) providing i) a patient having a body part with a suspected lesion, ii) a radiopharmaceutical, iii) means for obtaining emission data from said body part of said patient;

b) administering said radiopharmaceutical to said patient;

c) placing said body part within said means for obtaining emission data, to detect a radiation signal created by the accumulation of said radiopharmaceutical in said lesion;

d) obtaining the sinogram space coordinates generated by said means for obtaining emission data for said radiation signal;

e) converting said sinogram space coordinates into cylindrical coordinates;

f) converting said cylindrical coordinates into Cartesian coordinates corresponding to said lesion; and

g) guiding a means for biopsying said lesion using said Cartesian coordinates.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said lesion is a tumor lesion.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said radiopharmaceutical comprises a single photon-emitting radiopharmaceutical.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said radiopharmaceutical comprises a positron-emitting radiopharmaceutical.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said means for obtaining emission data comprises a PET scanner.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said means for obtaining emission data comprises a SPECT scanner.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said means for obtaining emission data comprises a gamma camera.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said means for obtaining emission data comprises a planar imager.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said means for biopsying comprises a fine needle aspiration.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said means for biopsying comprises a core biopsy.

11. A method for the localization and biopsy of lesions, comprising the steps of:

a) providing i) a patient having a body part with a suspected lesion, ii) a radiopharmaceutical, iii) means for obtaining emission data from said body part of said patient, iv) a display means, and v) a user input means;

b) administering said radiopharmaceutical to said patient;

c) placing said body part within said means for obtaining emission data, to detect a radiation signal created by the accumulation of said radiopharmaceutical in said lesion;

d) choosing at least a first and a second view angle with said user input means;

e) extracting at least one projection based on said first and second view angles;

f) displaying an image of said lesion on said display means based on said projection;

g) prompting a user to identify via said input means a point within said lesion;

h) calculating a center of said identified lesion;

i) obtaining sinogram space coordinates of said identified lesion based on said first and second view angles;

j) converting said sinogram space coordinates into cylindrical coordinates;

k) converting said cylindrical coordinates into Cartesian coordinates corresponding to said lesion; and

l) guiding a means for biopsying said lesion using said Cartesian coordinates.

12. An apparatus for the localization and biopsy of a lesion in a body part, comprising:

a) means for obtaining emission data created by the accumulation of a radiopharmaceutical in said lesion, under conditions such that scanner space coordinates are generated;

b) converting means coupled to said means for obtaining emission data for calculating x, y and z Cartesian coordinates of said lesion from said scanner space coordinates generated by said means for obtaining emission data; and

c) means for biopsying said lesion located at said Cartesian coordinates.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a user input means coupled to said means for obtaining emission data for choosing at least two view angles of said body part in order to extract at least one projection of said lesion.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said user input means utilizes a first and a second view angle of said body part in order to extract at least one projection of said lesion.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said lesion is a tumor lesion.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said radiopharmaceutical comprises a single photon-emitting radiopharmaceutical.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said radiopharmaceutical comprises a positron-emitting radiopharmaceutical.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said means for obtaining emission data comprises a gamma camera.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said means for obtaining emission data comprises a planar imager.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said means for biopsying further comprises a means for immobilizing said body part.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a single fiducial marker used to determine the position of said Cartesian coordinates corresponding to said lesion relative to said single fiducial marker.