Intraluminal radiation treatment system

• US 6,683,690 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1999
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Best Vascular, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novoste Corporation (Novt Corporation)
• Inventors: Tobias, Martin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAUCHMAN, LAYLA G
• Application Number:
  US09/444,195
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 356/445, 356/318, 356/73, 356/326, 356/446-448, 356/408, 356/433, 356/435, 356/436, 356/39, 600/7
• US Class Current: 356/445
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1008 Apparatus for temporary insertion of sources, e.g. afterloaders
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1002 Intraluminal radiation therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1007 Arrangements or means for the introduction of sources into the body

Abstract

A transfer device and catheter assembly for the delivery of treatment elements to a selected location within the intraluminal passageways of a patient as part of an intraluminal radiation system. The transfer device includes a gate member that permits the treatment elements to have the transfer device only if the catheter is attached thereto. A pressure indicator provides a visual indication of the fluid pressure within the transfer device, and provides for a release of the fluid if the pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure. The catheter also includes detents to secure it to the transfer device and which must be manually activated to remove the catheter from the transfer device. The transfer device includes circuiting that determines whether the treating elements reside within the transfer device based upon the reflectivity of the treating elements. A method for determining whether treating elements reside in the catheter is also disclosed.

Claims

1. In a transfer device useable in a system for intraluminal a treatment of a selected site in a body of a patient by at least one treating element having known reflectances for lights of different wavelengths advanced through a lumen in the transfer device into a lumen of a separate catheter, a system for determining the presence or absence of said treating element at a targeted location comprising:

a power source;

a first light source optically connected to the targeted location for emitting a light having a first wavelength;

a second light source optically connected to the targeted location for emitting a light having a second wavelength;

a first photosensor optically connected to the targeted location for measuring the light reflected off the targeted location and creating a signal corresponding thereto;

a window detector for determining whether said created signal is within a predetermined band corresponding to a signal which would be created by light of first and second wavelengths being reflected off the treating element; and

at least one indicator light that is activated if said created signal is within said predetermined band.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of said first and second light sources comprises an LED.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said first light source comprises a blue LED and said second light source comprises a red LED.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said first photosensor comprises a photo diode, a graded refractive index lens for collecting light reflected off the target area and directing the collected light to said photo diode, and an amplifier integrated with said photo diode.

5. The system of claim 2 further comprising a brightness control circuit for holding constant the output of at least one LED, said brightness control circuit comprising:

a second photosensor optically connected to said LED;

a synchronous detector and filter for receiving the output of said second photosensor; and

an amplifier and an integrator to receive the output of said second photosensor and for setting a control loop gain to be added to a reference signal that sets a drive range for said LED.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a filter for removing signals generated by said first photosensor due to ambient light.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said filter comprises a synchronous detector synchronized with signals corresponding to light of said first and second wavelengths and for removing all unsynchronized signals.

8. A system for determining the presence or absence of a gold element at a targeted location, the gold element having known reflectances for lights of different wavelengths, the system comprising:

a power source;

a first light source optically connected to the targeted location for emitting a blue light having a first wavelength;

a second light source optically connected to the targeted location for emitting a red light having a second wavelength;

a first photosensor optically connected to the targeted location for measuring the light reflected off the targeted location and creating a signal corresponding thereto;

a window detector for determining whether said created signal is within a predetermined band corresponding to a signal which would be created by light of first and second wavelengths being reflected off the gold element; and

at least one indicator light that is activated if said created signal is within said predetermined band.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said first light source comprises a blue LED and said second light source comprises a red LED.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said blue LED supplies blue light at a peak wavelength of 450 nanometers and said red LED supplies red light at a peak wavelength of 700 nanometers.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said first photosensor comprises a photo diode, a graded refractive index lens for collecting light reflected off the target area and directing the collected light to said photo diode, and an amplifier integrated with said photo diode.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising a brightness control circuit for holding constant the output of at least one light source, said brightness control circuit comprising:

a second photosensor optically connected to said light source;

a synchronous detector and filter for receiving the output of said second photosensor; and

an amplifier and an integrator to receive the output of said second photosensor and for setting a control loop gain to be added to a reference signal that sets a drive range for said light source.

13. The system of claim 8 further comprising a filter for removing signals generated by said first photosensor due to ambient light.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said filter comprises a synchronous detector synchronized with signals corresponding to light of said first and second wavelengths and for removing all unsynchronized signals.

15. A system for determining the presence or absence of an element at a targeted location, the element having known reflectances for lights of different wavelengths, the system comprising:

a power source;

a first light source optically connected to the targeted location for emitting a light having a first wavelength;

a second light source optically connected to the targeted location for emitting a light having a second wavelength;

a first photosensor optically connected to the targeted location for measuring the light reflected off the targeted location and creating a signal corresponding thereto, said photosensor comprising a photo diode, a graded refractive index lens for collecting light reflected off the target area and directing the collected light to said photo diode, and an amplifier integrated with said photo diode;

a window detector for determining whether said created signal is within a predetermined band corresponding to a signal which would be created by light of first and second wavelengths being reflected off the element; and

at least one indicator light that is activated if said created signal is within said predetermined band.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein each of said first and second light sources comprise an LED.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein said first light source comprises a blue LED and said second light source comprises a red LED.

16. A system for determining the presence or absence of an element at a targeted location, the element having known reflectances for lights of different wavelengths, the system comprising:

a power source;

a first light source optically connected to the targeted location for emitting a light having a first wavelength;

a second light source optically connected to the targeted location for emitting a light having a second wavelength;

a first photosensor optically connected to the targeted location for measuring the light reflected off the targeted location and creating a signal corresponding thereto;

a brightness control circuit for holding constant the output of at least one light source, said brightness control circuit comprising a second photosensor optically connected to said light source, a synchronous detector and filter for receiving the output of said second photosensor, and an amplifier and an integrator to receive the output of said second photosensor and for setting a control loop gain to be added to a reference signal that sets a drive range for said light source;

a window detector for determining whether said created signal is within a predetermined band corresponding to a signal which would be created by light of first and second wavelengths being reflected off the element; and

at least one indicator light that is activated if said created signal is within said predetermined band.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein each of said first and second light sources comprise an LED.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein said first light source comprises a blue LED and said second light source comprises a red LED.

17. A system for determining the presence or absence of an element at a targeted location, the element having known reflectances for lights of different wavelengths, the system comprising:

a power source;

a first light source optically connected to the targeted location for emitting a light having a first wavelength;

a second light source optically connected to the targeted location for emitting a light having a second wavelength;

a first photosensor optically connected to the targeted location for measuring the light reflected off the targeted location and creating a signal corresponding thereto;

a filter for removing signals generated by said first photosensor due to ambient light;

a window detector for determining whether said created signal is within a predetermined band corresponding to a signal which would be created by light of first and second wavelengths being reflected off the element; and

at least one indicator light that is activated if said created signal is within said predetermined band.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said filter comprises a synchronous detector synchronized with signals corresponding to light of said first and second wavelengths and for removing all unsynchronized signals.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein each of said first and second light sources comprise an LED.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein said first light source comprises a blue LED and said second light source comprises a red LED.