Microwave thermometry for microwave ablation systems
First Claim
1. A microwave ablation system comprising:
- a microwave applicator including an antenna configured to deliver microwave energy to ablate tissue;
a microwave generator coupled to the microwave applicator via a transmission network and configured to generate a microwave signal and transmit the microwave signal to the antenna;
a radiometer configured to measure noise temperature from a signal propagating through the transmission network;
a controller configured to turn off the microwave signal generated by the microwave generator for a predetermined period and to control the radiometer to measure noise temperature during the predetermined period;
a first thermocouple configured to measure a first temperature; and
a second thermocouple configured to measure a second temperature,wherein the controller identifies the noise temperature measured by the radiometer as a noise temperature of tissue based on the first temperature and the second temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microwave ablation system incorporates a microwave thermometer that couples to a microwave transmission network connecting a microwave generator to a microwave applicator to measure noise temperature. The noise temperature is processed to separate out components the noise temperature including the noise temperature of the tissue being treated and the noise temperature of the microwave transmission network. The noise temperature may be measured by a radiometer while the microwave generator is generating the microwave signal or during a period when the microwave signal is turned off. The microwave ablation system may be configured as a modular system having one or more thermometry network modules that are connectable between a microwave applicator and a microwave generator. Alternatively, the modular system includes a microwave generator, a microwave applicator, and a microwave cable that incorporate a microwave thermometry network module.
136 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A microwave ablation system comprising:
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a microwave applicator including an antenna configured to deliver microwave energy to ablate tissue; a microwave generator coupled to the microwave applicator via a transmission network and configured to generate a microwave signal and transmit the microwave signal to the antenna; a radiometer configured to measure noise temperature from a signal propagating through the transmission network; a controller configured to turn off the microwave signal generated by the microwave generator for a predetermined period and to control the radiometer to measure noise temperature during the predetermined period; a first thermocouple configured to measure a first temperature; and a second thermocouple configured to measure a second temperature, wherein the controller identifies the noise temperature measured by the radiometer as a noise temperature of tissue based on the first temperature and the second temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of measuring temperature in a microwave ablation system comprising:
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providing a microwave signal to an antenna via a transmission network; turning off the microwave signal for a predetermined period; measuring noise temperature during the predetermined period using a radiometer; measuring a first temperature using a first thermocouple; measuring a second temperature using a second thermocouple; and identifying the noise temperature measured by the radiometer as the noise temperature of tissue based on the first temperature and the second temperature. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A microwave ablation system comprising:
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a microwave applicator including an antenna configured to deliver microwave energy to ablate tissue; a microwave generator coupled to the microwave applicator via a transmission network and configured to generate a microwave signal and transmit the microwave signal to the antenna; a radiometer configured to measure noise temperature propagating through the transmission network; and a controller configured to turn off the microwave signal generated by the microwave generator for a predetermined period and to control the radiometer to measure a noise temperature during the predetermined period, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a slope of magnitude of noise temperature measurements and to record a noise temperature measurement when the slope reaches a predetermined slope which indicates that the noise temperature measurements represent solely the temperature of the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification