Bsd Medical Corporation

Pyrexar Medical Inc.

Varian Medical Systems, Inc.

Ams Research Corporation

Perseon Corporation

Thermatrx, Inc.

Bsd Corporation

Sperry Rand Corporation

Bds Medical Corporation

Bio Systems Design, Corp.

Paul F Turner

Mark J Hagmann

Thomas L Youd

Theron N Schaefermeyer

Charles F Manker

Aaron P Perlmutter

Dixie T Sells

Brianne Hamilton

Amer M Tumeh

Om P Gandhi

Victor A Vaguine

Jason Lynn Elsworth

Trung V Nguyen

Melvin A Astrahan

Jason Ellsworth

Philip A Terry

A microwave applicator for insertion into living body tissue for use in microwave coagulation and ablation treatments includes a microwave transmission line extending between an attachment end of the applicator and an antenna toward an insertion end of the applicator with an outer conductive sleeve forming an enclosed cooling fluid space around the transmission line. Circulation of cooling fluid is guided in the cooling fluid space by a guide sleeve. A fluid circulation system provides a plurality of fluid supply connectors and fluid return connectors which can be connected and used with any number of applicators between one and the number of the fluid supply connectors provided by the system. A portion of the applicator inserted into the tissue can stick to the tissue to stabilize the applicator during treatment. A warning marking on the applicator can be used during track ablation to prevent ablation of the patient skin tissue.

Microwave coagulation applicator and system

A radio frequency annular phased array hyperthermia system providing a heated focal zone with a diameter of 3 cm or less in a tissue mass includes a plurality of at least 42 radio frequency energy applicators in three rings adapted to surround the tissue mass. A bolus having a dielectric constant is positioned between the energy applicators and the tissue mass. The energy applicators operate at a frequency of at least about 900 MHz. to create the heated focal zone. The circumferential spacing between adjacent applicators in each ring is less than a critical distance and spacing between adjacent side by side rings is also less than a critical distance with such critical distances being interdependent on the frequency of the energy radiated, the dielectric constant of the bolus, the size of the bolus, and the size of the tissue mass.

Apparatus and method for creating small focus deep hyperthermia in tissues of the brain

A radio frequency annular phased array hyperthermia system providing a relatively small heated focal zone in a relatively large tissue mass includes a plurality of radio frequency energy applicators in at least one ring adapted to surround the relatively large tissue mass. A bolus having a dielectric constant is positioned between the energy applicators and the tissue mass. The energy applicators operate at a frequency high enough to create the relatively small heated focal zone. The spacing between adjacent applicators in the at least one ring is less than a critical distance and spacing between adjacent rings when the at least one ring is a plurality of side by side rings is less than a critical distance with such critical distances being interdependent on the frequency of the energy radiated, the dielectric constant of the bolus, the size of the bolus, and the size of the relatively large tissue mass.

Apparatus and method for creating small focus deep hyperthermia in tissue

A microwave applicator for insertion into living body tissue for use in microwave coagulation and ablation treatments includes a microwave transmission line extending between an attachment end of the applicator and an antenna toward an insertion end of the applicator with an outer conductive sleeve forming an enclosed fluid space around the transmission line. A fluid circulation system circulates fluid in the fluid space. A portion of or all of the circulating fluid can be injected into tissue that surrounds the applicator body from approximately the proximal end of a desired heating zone produced by microwave energy radiated from the antenna along the applicator body toward the proximal end of the applicator to hydrate and wet the tissue outside the proximal end of the desired heating zone to reduce the drying of this tissue and limit extension of the heating and ablation zone proximally along the applicator body.

Microwave coagulation applicator and system with fluid injection

The accuracy of tissue heating in a body when using a phased array hyperthermia system can be improved by using, in conjunction with the hyperthermia system, a program for predicting heating patterns within the tissue based upon a selected E-field value at each of the antenna energy feedpoints. The hyperthermia system includes circuitry necessary to provide information for calculating the complete EM field at each of the antenna feedpoints during treatment, and such calculated actual feedpoint EM fields are feed to the program to be used in place of the otherwise program generated e-fields in predicting the heating pattern produced by the hyperthermia system during treatment. Further initial operating parameters of the hyperthermia system can be set to produce calculated actual EM fields at the antenna feedpoints which approximate the E-field values used by the program in pretreatment optimizing of the heating pattern.

Tissue heating prediction using feedpoint EM field determination

Heat treatment is applied to tissue in need of such treatment which is surrounded by tissue not in need of such treatment, by positioning a deposit within the surrounding tissue adjacent the tissue in need of treatment. The dielectric constant and/or the conductivity of the deposit is greater than that of the surrounding tissue. A radio frequency antenna or antenna array directs a radio frequency signal at a selected frequency into the deposit. The deposit has a diameter within a range of about 0.5 times to about 0.16 times the wavelength of the radio frequency signal within the surrounding tissue. The deposit is heated, at least partially through resonant heating, to a temperature greater than the surrounding tissue to apply heat treatment to the tissue in need of treatment. The deposit may take the form of a balloon of a Mammosite&#xae; type device to provide hyperthermia treatment in conjunction with radiation treatment of a breast after a lumpectomy.

Apparatus and method for selectively heating a deposit in fatty tissue in a body

An apparatus and method for providing hyperthermia treatments to a protruding body portion having fatty tissue surrounding a deposit in the protruding body portion is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cavity for receiving the protruding body portion. A radio frequency antenna array is used to direct a radio frequency signal at a selected frequency into the protruding body portion such as a breast so that the radio frequency signal will have a selected wavelength in the breast to create a circularly polarized radio frequency electromagnetic field to selectively heat the deposit to a temperature greater than the surrounding fatty tissue through resonant heating within the deposit when a diameter of the deposit is within a range of about 0.5 times to 0.16 times the wavelength of the radio frequency signal within the fatty mammary tissue.

A microwave applicator for insertion into living body tissue for use in microwave coagulation and ablation treatments includes a microwave transmission line extending between an attachment end of the applicator and an antenna toward an insertion end of the applicator with an outer conductive sleeve forming an enclosed cooling fluid space around the transmission line. Circulation of cooling fluid is guided in the cooling fluid space by a guide sleeve. A temperature sensor senses the approximate temperature of cooling fluid to indicate cooling fluid is circulating. A multiplexing and power splitting circuit provides outputs tuned for one or for more than one applicator to be attached and detects the number of applicators and correct connection. A cadence sound generator can be used in conjunction with depth markings on the applicator to provide substantially constant withdrawal of the applicator from the treated tissue after treatment to provide track ablation.

A hyperthermia treatment system for heating a selected region within a target body that includes a power source and a plurality of electromagnetic applicators that are in electrical communication with the power source and arranged in a surrounding array around a focal region to concentrate their combined radiation output onto the focal region. The treatment system also includes a support mechanism that is adapted to support a target body within the surrounding array of applicators, and a positioning mechanism adapted to move the support mechanism and align the selected region within the target body with the focal region. Furthermore, the positioning mechanism is adapted to compensate for movement of the focal region in response to an interaction between the combined radiation output and the target body.

Deep heating hyperthermia using phased arrays and patient positioning

A system and corresponding method for irradiating a target with electromagnetic radiation to produce a heated region. The system comprises a coupling device operable to couple electromagnetic radiation from a magnetic resonance imaging system. A plurality of energy radiator applicators are connected to the coupling device to receive electromagnetic radiation energy from the coupling device. Each of the radiator applicators is operable to emit a radio frequency heating signal using the electromagnetic radiation energy from the coupling device. A bolus filled with a dielectric fluid is positioned within the inner area of the MRI system. The bolus is operable to receive the radio frequency heating signals from the plurality of energy radiator applicators and direct the radio frequency heating signals into a section of the body to produce a heated region within the body.

System and method for irradiating a target with electromagnetic radiation to produce a heated region

An applicator and method for application of electromagnetic energy to an area of tissue is described. The applicator includes a visually-transparent, high-dielectric interfacing assembly which has a conformable tissue-engaging surface and an opposed antenna-engaging surface. At least one balanced, circularly-polarized antenna is disposed in a plane substantially parallel and adjacent to the antenna-engaging surface. The interfacing assembly and at least one antenna are substantially transparent to enable visual viewing of the area of tissue. This enables monitoring of the tissue for adverse treatment effects while electromagnetic energy is being applied to the at least one antenna and radiated into the tissue.

Transparent electromagnetic applicator and hyperthermia treatment method

A system and corresponding method for creating hyperthermia in a selected position in target tissue using the application of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in the HF, VHF and UHF microwave region and phased array steering includes an array of applicators and a single channel EMR radiation energy source coupled to at least one of the applicators of the array. A variable reflective termination device is coupled to at least one of the applicators so that a user can vary the energy radiated from the coupled applicator to steer the heating region in the target to a desired position in the target. Several different applicator arrays are suitable for use with the system, and comprise generally cylindrical annuli which emit radiation toward a central axis. Parasitic applicators with variable reflective termination devices can be used in the applicator array along with at least one applicator directly coupled to the energy source.

Growing community of inventors

Bountiful, UT, United States of America

Paul F Turner