Surgical probe for laparoscopy or intracavitary tumor localization
First Claim
1. A laparoscopic surgical probe for localizing tumors and creating images of tumor-affected radiation emitting organs, said laparoscopic surgical probe comprising:
- first components, includinga collimator member anda scintillator means for receiving radiation rays emitted from the radiation emitting organs and converting the radiation rays into light signals;
a light transmission means to transmit the light signals generated by said first components to second components, includinga position sensitive light signal detector andan electronic means for receiving said light signals and producing images of said radiation emitting organs, wherein(a) said first components, said light transmission means and said second components form a unitary body probe;
(b) a converting means is provided, which are adapted to receive and convert radiation emitted from the radiation emitting organs in the energy range of 30 KeV to 1 MeV; and
(c) said collimator member has a section in the range between 6 mm and 15 mm, with a hole having 3 mm to 10 mm diameter, with a wall thickness in the range between 0.1 mm and 4 mm and with a length in the range between 5 mm and 50 mm.
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Abstract
The surgical probe according to the invention includes a collimator, made of lead or a high Z, atomic number metal; a scintillating crystal sensitive to gamma ray having an energy in the range from 30 KeV and 1 MeV; a light guide system; a photomultiplier; and electronics capable of integrating and converting analog signals to digital signals. The probe can be used in either intracavitary mode, or in laparoscopic mode, by putting the probe in a specific trocar. The apparatus may automatically subtract the background; and may provide visualization on a monitor. The probe can also include a flexible tip, in order to enlarge the field of view which the probe can be used to examine.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A laparoscopic surgical probe for localizing tumors and creating images of tumor-affected radiation emitting organs, said laparoscopic surgical probe comprising:
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first components, including a collimator member and a scintillator means for receiving radiation rays emitted from the radiation emitting organs and converting the radiation rays into light signals; a light transmission means to transmit the light signals generated by said first components to second components, including a position sensitive light signal detector and an electronic means for receiving said light signals and producing images of said radiation emitting organs, wherein (a) said first components, said light transmission means and said second components form a unitary body probe; (b) a converting means is provided, which are adapted to receive and convert radiation emitted from the radiation emitting organs in the energy range of 30 KeV to 1 MeV; and (c) said collimator member has a section in the range between 6 mm and 15 mm, with a hole having 3 mm to 10 mm diameter, with a wall thickness in the range between 0.1 mm and 4 mm and with a length in the range between 5 mm and 50 mm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification