Radioactive medical device and process
First Claim
1. An implantable device comprising:
- a body comprising a nickel-containing metal alloy or a combination of metals which includes nickel;
a non-radioactive precursor isotope disposed within or about said body; and
a high-density metal coating disposed over at least a portion of said body containing said non-radioactive precursor isotope.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable medical device according to the systems and methods described herein may include a metal body or stent that does not contain significant quantities of iron or chromium and that is initially formed from a non-radioactive structural material. A non-radioactive activatable additive (the precursor isotope) may be added into or onto the body of the medical device. Neutron activation of the body of the medical device with the incorporated non-radioactive isotope may then be accomplished, and, if the metal body of the medical device contains a significant quantity of nickel, a coating of a high-density material may be applied over the radioactive body of the medical device. In an alternate embodiment, a coating of certain types of high-density material may be applied prior to neutron activation. The coating of high-density material may serve several useful purposes, including containment of undesirable beta particles from spurious long-lived radioactive species, creation of a biologically inert surface, and enhancement of the x-ray radiopacity to improve the visibility of the implantable medical device.
279 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An implantable device comprising:
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a body comprising a nickel-containing metal alloy or a combination of metals which includes nickel; a non-radioactive precursor isotope disposed within or about said body; and a high-density metal coating disposed over at least a portion of said body containing said non-radioactive precursor isotope. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A radioactive implant made by exposing to thermal neutrons a non-radioactive device comprising:
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a body comprising a nickel-containing metal alloy or a combination of metals which includes nickel; a non-radioactive precursor isotope disposed within or about said body; and a high-density metal coating disposed over at least a portion of said body containing said non-radioactive precursor isotope; said exposure to thermal neutrons being sufficient to transform at least a portion of the non-radioactive precursor isotope to a radioactive isotope. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification