Guiding a tool for medical treatment by detecting a source of radioactivity
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of guiding a tool, the method comprising:
- implanting a source of radioactivity at a position having a geometric relationship to a target tissue;
acquiring at least three sets of first and second output signals, respectively, from at least three sets of first and second radiation detectors, each set of first and second radiation detectors configured to respond to ionizing radiation from said source of radioactivity;
determining at least three different planes in which said source of radioactivity resides using the at least three sets of first and second output signals, each plane corresponding to one set of the at least three sets of first and second output signals;
determining at least an indication of a location of said source by calculating an intersection of the at least three different planes; and
positioning a tool at a desired relative location with respect to said target tissue based on said determined location.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods disclosed provide for guiding a tool using a source of radioactivity. The method includes implanting a source of radioactivity at a position having a geometric relationship to a target tissue, determining at least an indication of a location of the source using at least one radioactivity detecting position sensor, and positioning a tool at a desired relative location with respect to the target tissue based on the determined location.
138 Citations
54 Claims
-
1. A method of guiding a tool, the method comprising:
-
implanting a source of radioactivity at a position having a geometric relationship to a target tissue; acquiring at least three sets of first and second output signals, respectively, from at least three sets of first and second radiation detectors, each set of first and second radiation detectors configured to respond to ionizing radiation from said source of radioactivity; determining at least three different planes in which said source of radioactivity resides using the at least three sets of first and second output signals, each plane corresponding to one set of the at least three sets of first and second output signals; determining at least an indication of a location of said source by calculating an intersection of the at least three different planes; and positioning a tool at a desired relative location with respect to said target tissue based on said determined location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
-
-
34. A therapy system, the system comprising:
-
a position sensing module comprising at least three sets of first and second radiation detectors, wherein each first and second radiation detector of the at least three sets of first and second radiation detectors is configured to receive ionizing radiation from an implantable radioactive source, and wherein the at least three sets of first and second radiation detectors are configured to generate, respectively, at least three associated sets of first and second output signals; a processor configured to receive and use the at least three associated sets of first and second output signals from the at least three sets of first and second radiation detectors to determine at least three different planes in which the implantable radioactive source resides, each plane of the at least three different planes corresponding to one set of the at least three associated sets of first and second output signals, the processor further configured to determine an intersection of the at least three different planes and output a position output signal; control circuitry; and an output module; wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the position output signal, calculate a target location based upon the position output signal, and provide at least an indication of target coordinates to the output module; and wherein the output module is configured to receive the indication of target coordinates and assist in positioning a tool at the target location. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
Specification