Neoprobe Corporation

The Ohio State University

Actis Corporation

American Ceramic Service Company

Other

Karl W Olson

Marlin O Thurston

William B Shook

Dennis R Pugh

Richard D Gilson

Ronald W Ventola

Richard Cushman Orahood

Michael D Magill

Helen Thurston, Legal Representative

System, method and apparatus wherein a probe employing non-imagining optics is utilized in conjunction with a fluorescing (e.g., nanocrystal) tracer at the body of a patient. Excitation components within the probe working end are utilized to excite the nanocrystals to fluoresce at wavelengths in the near infrared region, such fluorescent energy is homogenized by interacting with involved tissue to provide a uniform fluorescing intensity over the surface of a photo-detector. Initialization and background determination procedures are described along with a technique for determining statistically significant levels of fluorescing activity.

System, method and apparatus for the detection of patient-borne fluorescing materials

System, method and apparatus wherein a probe employing non-imagining optics is utilized in conjunction with a fluorescing nanocrystal tracer at the body of a patient. Excitation components within the probe working end are utilized to excite the nanocrystals to fluoresce at wavelengths in the near infrared region, such fluorescent energy is homogenized by interacting with involved tissue to provide a uniform fluorescing intensity over the surface of a photo-detector. Initialization and background determination procedures are described along with a technique for determining statistically significant levels of fluorescing activity.

System, method and apparatus for the detection of patient-borne fluorescing nanocrystals

A hand-held surgical probe is provided with a crystal detector mount architecture wherein a rigid mounting of key components is achieved. In one embodiment, the crystal detector mount is supported and suspended by a vibration damping suspension externally located with respect to the crystal detector mount. The crystal detector mount architecture and vibration damping suspension act to reduce a variety of noise phenomena.

Radiation responsive surgical probe apparatus

System and apparatus particularly suited for tracking a radiopharmaceutical present within a lymph duct and locating a sentinel node within which the radiopharmaceutical has concentrated. A smaller, straight, hand-held probe is employed carrying two hand actuable switches. For tracking procedures, the probe is moved in an undulatory manner wherein the location of the radiopharmaceutical containing duct is determined by observing a graphics readout developed preferably employing a circularly accessed data memory. When the region of the sentinel node is approached, a switch on the probe device is actuated by the surgeon to carry out a sequence of squelching operations until a small node locating region is defined. At that point in the procedure, the straight small probe will be pointed at and in adjacency with the radiopharmaceutical containing sentinel node. The probe-mounted switches are configured to apply preset current levels upon the probe pre-amplifier power supply. These levels are detected, identified by a discriminator and emulating signals are generated. A sterilizable remote switch provides a squelch threaded level trim function.

Remotely controlled apparatus and system for tracking and locating a

An industrial mobile process monitoring system is described which provides a means by which a measurable atmospheric condition, such as temperature, can be measured in real time at a plurality of different locations in a structure such as a kiln, and the information transmitted to a base station computer via magnetic energy linking primary and secondary windings of an air-core transformer.

Apparatus for measuring and transmitting process conditions

The method for identifying a sentinel lymph node located within a grouping of regional nodes at a lymph draininage basin associated with neoplastic tissue wherein a radiopharmaceutical is injected at the situs of the neoplastic tissue. This radiopharmaceutical migrates along a lymph duct toward the drainage basin containing the sentinel node. A hand-held probe with a forwardly disposed radiation detector crystal is maneuvered along the duct while the clinician observes a graphical readout of count rate amplitudes to determine when the probe is aligned with the duct. The region containing the sentinel node is identified when the count rate at the probe substantially increases. Following incision, the probe is maneuvered utilizing a sound output in connection with actuation of the probe to establish increasing count rate thresholds followed by incremental movements until the threshold is not reached and no sound cue is given the surgeon. At this point of the maneuvering of the probe its detector will be in adjacency with the sentinel node which then may be removed.

Radiation based method locating and differentiating sentinel nodes

A probe instrument which is formed having a unitary housing with indented switch actuating surfaces intended for surgical procedures employs internally disposed piezoelectric switching components within an elongate internally disposed switch receiving channel. The forward end of the instrument supports a crystal containing detector assembly with a preamplifier and associated leads which extend within a detector signal channel spaced from the switch receiving channel and protected therefrom by a shield wall. The piezoelectric components are held in preloaded association adjacent outwardly disposed switch actuating surfaces by a dual wedge switch support assembly. An elongate cable is permanently attached to the rearward end of the housing component through the utilization of a medical grade silicone seal and relief component.

Apparatus and system for detecting and locating photon emissions with

Industrial mobile process monitor system

Intended for use in a pathology laboratory, the apparatus includes a multi-segment crystal array over which is positioned a platform supported receiving region with a pattern carrying indicia emulating and in registry with the pattern of the crystal array segments. The tissue carrying a radiolabeled locator is positioned on the receiving region and the photon emission count values for each segment are compiled and displayed at a computer monitor or as a print-out in conjunction with crystal segment identification. Observation of the count values by a pathologist then shows the location over a segment of highest count value at which locator is more likely to be concentrated. Sectioning then is carried out at that location.

Crystal array based localizer for tissue sampling

A system for detecting photon emissions wherein a detector serves to derive electrical parameter signals having amplitudes corresponding with the detected energy of the photon emissions and other signal generating events. Two comparator networks are employed within an energy window defining function to develop an output, L, when an event based signal amplitude is equal to or above a threshold value, and to develop an output, H, when such signal amplitude additionally extends above an upper limit. Improved reliability and accuracy is achieved with a discriminator circuit which responds to these outputs L and H to derive an event output upon the occurrence of an output L in the absence of an output H. This discriminator circuit is an asynchronous, sequential, fundamental mode discriminator circuit with three stable states.

Validation of photon emission based signals using an energy window

A crystal containing detector particularly suited for use in immunoguided surgery capable of detecting gamma emissions present at tumor sites. The instrument utilizes a cadmium-zinc-telluride detector crystal which may be retained within a finger mount positioned over the surgeon's finger. Within this mount there also is incorporated a first preamplification stage designed to accumulate charge signals from the detector as well as to drive a relatively short length of cable to a second preamplification stage located, for example, within a housing at the surgeon's upper arm. The small finger mounted probe may be moved between operative orientations at the underside of the tip of the finger to stand-by orientations at the top of the finger adjacent the knuckles. In an additional embodiment, the finger probe incorporates a sodium iodide crystal, the scintillations from which are transmitted via a short length of fiber optic cable to an upper arm mounted housing which contains a photomultiplier tube. Signals from the remote, arm-mounted housing then are transmitted via longer cabling or the like to a control console.

Radiation responsive surgical instrument

An industrial mobile process monitoring system is described which provides a way by which a measurable atmospheric condition, such as temperature, can be measured in real time at a plurality of different locations in a structure such as a kiln, and the information transmitted to a base station computer via magnetic energy linking primary and secondary windings of an air-core transformer.

Mobile process monitor system for kilns

A simulator arrangement wherein visual cues are generated by a video system at a display surface (18) spaced from an eye position (14). The image at the display surface is formed as longitudinal boundaries emanating from a vanishing point (VP) positioned a predetermined distance above a fixed horizon (30) image. Hue and texture visual information are developed between the longitudinal boundaries from a memory function (178). The slopes of the longitudinal boundaries are developed as the quotient of the value of the transverse displacement of a boundary from the corresponding position of the eye position divided by a value representing simulated height of the eye position. The arrangement finds particular utilization in conjunction with flight trainers.

Visual cue simulator

A flight simulator arrangement wherein a conventional, movable base flight trainer is combined with a visual cue display surface spaced a predetermined distance from an eye position within the trainer. Thus, three degrees of motive freedom (roll, pitch and crab) are provided for a visual proprioceptive, and vestibular cue system by the trainer while the remaining geometric visual cue image alterations are developed by a video system. A geometric approach to computing runway image eliminates a need to electronically compute trigonometric functions, while utilization of a line generator and designated vanishing point at the video system raster permits facile development of the images of the longitudinal edges of the runway.

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Worthington, OH, United States of America

Karl W Olson