Apparatus and method for delivering ablative laser energy and determining the volume of tumor mass destroyed

• US 6,701,175 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Novian Health, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Novian Health, Inc.
• Inventors: Dowlatshahi, Kambiz
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Tu Ba
• Application Number:
  US10/263,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 600/1, 600/310, 600/322, 600/323, 600/407, 600/431, 600/436, 600/549, 600/474, 600/476, 604/21, 606/14, 606/15, 606/42, 606/116, 606/11, 607/96
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2005 with beam delivery through an interstitially insertable device, e.g. needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/206 the laser light passing along a liquid-filled conduit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/063 for measuring volume
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/064 using markers A61B5/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0414 with compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining a volume of tumor mass destroyed. The present invention includes a temperature probe and a laser probe having a temperature sensor. The laser probe and temperature probe are inserted to measure a temperature of the tumor mass and a temperature of tissue mass surrounding the tumor mass. By determining the volume of tumor mass destroyed, a graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed is provided whereby real-time visual monitoring of the destruction of the tumor mass is achieved.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining a volume of tumor mass destroyed, the apparatus comprising:

a device operable to measure a temperature of the tumor mass and a tissue temperature in proximity of the tumor mass; and

a display connected to the device and operable to display a graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed based upon the tumor mass temperature and the tissue temperature.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device includes a laser probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the temperature of the tumor mass.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device includes a temperature probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the tissue temperature.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device includes a laser probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the temperature of the tumor mass and a temperature probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the tissue temperature.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed includes a geometrical symbol.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed is superimposed onto an actual image of the tumor mass to provide real-time visual monitoring of the destroyed tumor mass.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the real-time visual monitoring of the destroyed tumor mass is provided during interstitial laser therapy.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device is formed to receive an optical fiber to direct an effective amount of laser radiation into the tumor mass.

9. An apparatus for determining a volume of tumor mass destroyed, the apparatus comprising:

a device operable to measure a temperature of the tumor mass and a tissue temperature in proximity of the tumor mass;

a display connected to the device and operable to display a graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed based upon the tumor mass temperature and the tissue temperature; and

means for conducting a blood circulation test that employs a contrasting agent to confirm the volume of tumor mass destroyed.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the blood circulation test confirms that an entire amount of the tumor mass is effectively destroyed.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the blood circulation test is conducted before and after the tumor mass is destroyed.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the device includes a laser probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the temperature of the tumor mass and a temperature probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the tissue temperature.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed is superimposed onto an actual image of the tumor mass to provide real-time visual monitoring of the destroyed tumor mass.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the real-time visual monitoring includes a graphical representation of the blood circulation test during tumor mass destruction.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the real-time visual monitoring of the destroyed tumor mass is provided during interstitial laser therapy.

16. A system for delivering ablative laser energy to a tumor mass, the system comprising:

a device capable of providing an effective amount of laser energy to the tumor mass, wherein the device is operable to measure a temperature of the tumor mass and a tissue temperature in proximity of the tumor mass; and

a display connected to the device and operable to display a graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed based upon the tumor mass temperature and the tissue temperature.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the device includes a laser probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the temperature of the tumor mass.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the device includes a temperature probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the tissue temperature.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the device includes a laser probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the temperature of the tumor mass and a temperature probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the tissue temperature.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphical representation includes a geometrical symbol.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed is superimposed onto an actual image of the tumor mass to provide real-time visual monitoring of the destroyed tumor mass.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the real-time visual monitoring of the destroyed tumor mass is operable to be provided during interstitial laser therapy.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the device is operable to receive an optical fiber to direct an effective amount of laser radiation into the tumor mass.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the device includes a metallic cannula formed to receive an optical fiber, whereby an effective amount of laser radiation is directed into the tumor mass and whereby one of a physiological and anesthetic fluid flows into the tumor mass.

25. A system for delivering ablative laser energy to a tumor mass, the system comprising:

a device capable of providing an effective amount of laser energy to the tumor mass, wherein the device is operable to measure a temperature of the tumor mass and a tissue temperature in proximity of the tumor mass;

a display connected to the device and operable to display a graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed based upon the tumor mass temperature and the tissue temperature; and

means for conducting a blood circulation test that employs a contrasting agent to confirm the volume of tumor mass destroyed.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the blood circulation test confirms that an entire amount of the tumor mass is effectively destroyed.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the blood circulation test is conducted before and after the tumor mass is destroyed.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the device includes a laser probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the temperature of the tumor mass and a temperature probe having one or more temperature sensors operable to measure the tissue temperature.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed is superimposed onto an actual image of the tumor mass to provide real-time visual monitoring of the destroyed tumor mass.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the real-time visual monitoring includes a graphical representation of the blood circulation test during tumor mass destruction.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the real-time visual monitoring of the destroyed tumor mass is provided during interstitial laser therapy.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the device is formed to receive an optical fiber to direct an effective amount of laser radiation into the tumor mass.

33. A method of determining a volume of tumor mass destroyed, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring a temperature of the tumor mass;

measuring a tissue temperature in proximity to the tumor mass; and

determining the volume of tumor mass destroyed based upon the temperature of the tumor mass and the adjacent tissue temperature.

34. The method of claim 33, which includes the step of displaying a graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein a geometrical symbol is displayed.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed is displayed as a destruction zone image superimposed onto an image of the tumor mass.

37. The method of claim 34, which includes the step of providing real-time visual monitoring of the volume of tumor mass destroyed based upon the calculation of the volume of the tumor mass destroyed.

38. The method of claim 37, which includes the step of monitoring the volume of tumor mass destroyed during interstitial laser therapy.

39. A method of calculating a volume of tumor mass destroyed, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring a temperature of the tumor mass;

measuring a tissue temperature in proximity to the tumor mass;

obtaining the volume of tumor mass destroyed based upon the temperature of the tumor mass and the tissue temperature; and

conducting a blood circulation test with a contrasting agent to confirm the volume of tumor mass destroyed.

40. The method of claim 39, which includes employing the blood circulation test to confirm that an entire amount of the tumor mass is effectively destroyed.

41. The method of claim 39, which includes conducting the blood circulation test before and after the tumor mass is destroyed.

42. The method of claim 39, which includes the step of displaying a graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the graphical representation of the volume of tumor mass destroyed is displayed as a destruction zone image superimposed onto an image of the tumor mass.

44. The method of claim 42, which includes the step of providing real-time visual monitoring of the volume of tumor mass destroyed based upon the calculation of the volume of the tumor mass destroyed.

45. The method of claim 44, which includes displaying a graphical representation of the blood circulation test.

46. The method of claim 45, which includes monitoring the volume of tumor mass destroyed during interstitial laser therapy.