Methods and system for image guided cell ablation with microscopic resolution

• US 9,314,304 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lumicell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lumicell, Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, W. David, Ferrer, Jorge
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAH, AHMED M
• Application Number:
  US13/314,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20120150164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 606/3, 606 9- 12, 606/16, 606 20- 23, 606 33- 39, 607 88- 92, 607/96, 607/101
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/22 the beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit, e.g. an optical fibre; Couplings or hand-pieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0011 piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00434 Neural system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00565 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00886 Duration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00904 Automatic detection of target tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00982 combined with or comprising means for visual or photographic inspections inside the body, e.g. endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20351 Scanning mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20359 by movable mirrors, e.g. galvanometric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/20361 with redirecting based on sensed condition, e.g. tissue analysis or tissue movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2283 : with pivotable mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/40 : Animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/028 : Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 : Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 : Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 : Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 : Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers

Abstract

The invention provides systems and method for the removal of diseased cells during surgery.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an excitation source that emits an excitation light towards an object including a plurality of cells;

an image processor that detects light from the object including the plurality of cells;

a treatment device that destroys one or more cells;

a feedback system that detects a condition of each cell of the plurality of cells to identify one or more diseased cells amongst the plurality of cells using the detected light, and wherein the feedback system targets the one or more diseased cells with the treatment device and applies a treatment using the treatment device to the one or more diseased cells to destroy the one or more diseased cells.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback system individually targets the treatment device at each of the one or more diseased cells.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment device leaves healthy cells surrounding the one or more diseased cells substantially untreated.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the detected diseased cells are cancer cell.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the detected diseased cells comprise at least one of a central nervous cell, a cardiac cell, a bone cell, a tendon cell, a muscle cell, a tumor associated cell.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the detected diseased cells comprise a mammal cell.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the detected diseased cells compromise a human cell.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment device uses light energy.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the treatment device comprises a plurality of lights.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein an optical fiber bundle collects and distributes light energy to the diseased cells.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the energy source comprises a laser that laser ablates the diseased cells.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment device comprises a laser.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an optical bundle that collects light from the laser and directs it towards the object.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a laser guiding system that controls the laser, wherein the laser guiding system comprises one or more galvanometer mirrors, MEMS mirrors, acousto-optic deflectors, micromirror, acousto-optical modulators used as deflector, piezo-electrial mirrors, electro-optical deflector, polygonal mirror, or planar mirrors on a rotating shaft.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment device comprises a Radio Frequency ablation device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment device comprises a cryo-ablation device.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the image processor has a field of view substantially greater than a diameter of a human cancer cell and an analysis resolution substantially matched to the diameter of the human cancer cell.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback system:

(a) locates the one or more diseased cells within a field of view of the image processor;

(b) targets the locations of the one or more diseased cells with the treatment device;

(c) locates an actual treatment location from the treatment device within the field of view of the image processor; and

(d) controls movement of the treatment device based on the locations of the one or more diseased cells and the actual treatment location.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the feedback system post-images tissue treated with the treatment device and verifies that the one or more diseased cells have been treated.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the image processor detects diseased cells within 1 cm from a surface of the object.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the image processor detects light having a wavelength equal to or between 350 nm and 670 nm.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fluid reservoir that flushes a surface of the object with a fluid during treatment with the treatment device.

23. The system of claim 22 and, wherein a flow of the fluid is sufficient to at least one of flush debris from a surface of the object and prevent excess treatment of healthy tissue surrounding the one or more diseased cells by the treatment device.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment device treats either an entire field of view of the image processor, or a predefined subsection of the field of view, in less than or equal to about 1 second.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback system individually determines whether each cell of the object visible within a field of view of the image processor is a diseased cell.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment device is pulsed with a pulse duration less than or equal to 100 ns.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment device causes delayed cellular death.

28. The system of claim 1, further comprising an optical receptor that receives the light from the object, and wherein the image processor detects the received light from the object.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment device ablates tissue, and wherein an amount of tissue that is ablated from the object is controlled by a duration of exposure of the tissue to the treatment device.