Method and apparatus for safety delivering medicants to a region of tissue using imaging, therapy and temperature monitoring ultrasonic system
First Claim
1. A method for the controlled delivery of a medicant to a region of interest within a patient'"'"'s body comprising the steps of:
- administering a thermosensitive liposome encased medicant to the region of interest;
locating the region of interest containing the thermosensitive liposome using ultrasound imaging with a single ultrasound transducer;
applying ultrasound therapy with the single ultrasound transducer to heat the region of interest containing the thermosensitive liposome;
monitoring the temperature of the region of interest containing the thermosensitive liposome using ultrasound imaging with the single ultrasound transducer to create a temperature profile; and
alternating application of ultrasound therapy and ultrasound imaging with the single ultrasound transducer until a predetermined temperature threshold is reached.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for controlling the safe delivery of thermosensitive liposomes containing medicant to a targeted tissue region using ultrasound. Thermosensitive liposomes containing medicants are delivered to a region of interest, the region of interest is located using ultrasound imaging, ultrasound therapy is applied to heat the region of interest, and the temperature of the region is monitored to determine whether a designated threshold temperature has been reached which allows for the release of medicants from the liposomes. If the threshold temperature is reached, and the liposomes are melted, the treatment stops. If the threshold temperature has not been reached, the application of ultrasound therapy and ultrasound imaging are alternated until the threshold temperature is reached. The ultrasound imaging, temperature monitoring and ultrasound therapy are preferably performed with a single transducer.
298 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method for the controlled delivery of a medicant to a region of interest within a patient'"'"'s body comprising the steps of:
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administering a thermosensitive liposome encased medicant to the region of interest;
locating the region of interest containing the thermosensitive liposome using ultrasound imaging with a single ultrasound transducer;
applying ultrasound therapy with the single ultrasound transducer to heat the region of interest containing the thermosensitive liposome;
monitoring the temperature of the region of interest containing the thermosensitive liposome using ultrasound imaging with the single ultrasound transducer to create a temperature profile; and
alternating application of ultrasound therapy and ultrasound imaging with the single ultrasound transducer until a predetermined temperature threshold is reached. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus for safely delivering a medicant contained within a thermosensitive liposome to a region of tissue contained within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
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means for introducing a thermosensitive liposome containing a medicant to a predetermined body tissue region;
a single ultrasound transducer for imaging the tissue region, monitoring a temperature profile of the tissue region and heating the thermosensitive liposome disposed in the tissue region; and
a control unit for continuously driving the ultrasound transducer to determine the temperature profile of the tissue region. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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Specification