# US 11,524,176 B2 · Locator for placement of fiducial support device method

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- Number: US 11,524,176 B2
- Document ID: US11524176B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/801,104
- Filed: 2020-02-25
- Published: 2020-09-17
- Granted: 2022-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-03-14
- Assignees: Cowles Ventures, LLC
- Applicants: Cowles Ventures, LLC
- Inventors: Alvaro Martinez; Mary Ann Slavik; Emily Lin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11524176B2

## CPC

- A61N 5/1001: {using radiation sources introduced into or applied onto the body; brachytherapy}
- A61N 2005/1012: {Templates or grids for guiding the introduction of sources}
- A61N 2005/1023: {Means for creating a row of seeds, e.g. spacers}
- A61N 2005/1024: {Seeds}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)

## Abstract

A locator for the placement of a fiducial support device for brachytherapy may be used to perform a brachytherapy treatment in which one or more radioactive seeds are implanted into a treatment region of a patient.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for locating a brachytherapy needle, the method comprising:
providing a locator device having a body portion with a distal end and a proximal end, an anchoring feature at the distal end of the body portion that is capable of anchoring the locator device into tissue and a plurality of markers along the length of the body portion wherein each marker indicates a depth of the locator device when it is installed into a treatment site;
inserting the locator device into a treatment region in the tissue;
anchoring, by the anchoring feature of the locator device, the locator device at the treatment region; and
later inserting, using the locator device, a fiducial brachytherapy needle into the treatment region.

### Claim 2

A brachytherapy treatment method using needle location, the method comprising:
installing a locator device into a treatment region in a tissue;
anchoring the locator device at the treatment region;
using a set of characteristics of the locator device in a treatment planning software to generate a treatment plan;
inserting, according to the treatment plan, a fiducial brachytherapy device into the treatment region using the locator device;
placing one or more radioactive seeds into the treatment region; and
attaching a brachytherapy template and wherein inserting the brachytherapy device further comprises inserting the brachytherapy device through the brachytherapy template into the treatment region.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the brachytherapy device further comprises a brachytherapy fiducial needle.

### Claim 4

A brachytherapy treatment method using needle location, the method comprising:
installing a locator device into a treatment region in a tissue, wherein installing the locator device further comprises penetrating the tissue using a sharpened tip at a distal end of the locator device;
anchoring the locator device at the treatment region;
using a set of characteristics of the locator device in a treatment planning software to generate a treatment plan;
inserting, according to the treatment plan, a fiducial brachytherapy device into the treatment region using the locator device; and
placing one or more radioactive seeds into the treatment region.

### Claim 5

A brachytherapy treatment method using needle location, the method comprising:
installing a locator device into a treatment region in a tissue;
anchoring the locator device at the treatment region, wherein anchoring the locator device further comprises suturing the locator device once installed into the treatment region;
using a set of characteristics of the locator device in a treatment planning software to generate a treatment plan;
inserting, according to the treatment plan, a fiducial brachytherapy device into the treatment region using the locator device;
placing one or more radioactive seeds into the treatment region; and
attaching a brachytherapy template and wherein inserting the brachytherapy device further comprises inserting the brachytherapy device through the brachytherapy template into the treatment region.

### Claim 6

A brachytherapy treatment method using needle location, the method comprising:
installing a locator device into a treatment region in a tissue;
anchoring the locator device at the treatment region, wherein anchoring the locator device further comprises deploying one or more hooks once installed into the treatment region;
using a set of characteristics of the locator device in a treatment planning software to generate a treatment plan;
inserting, according to the treatment plan, a fiducial brachytherapy device into the treatment region using the locator device;
placing one or more radioactive seeds into the treatment region; and
attaching a brachytherapy template and wherein inserting the brachytherapy device further comprises inserting the brachytherapy device through the brachytherapy template into the treatment region.

### Claim 7

A brachytherapy treatment method using needle location, the method comprising:
installing a locator device into a treatment region in a tissue;
anchoring the locator device at the treatment region;
using a set of characteristics of the locator device in a treatment planning software to generate a treatment plan;
inserting, according to the treatment plan, a fiducial brachytherapy device into the treatment region using the locator device; and
placing one or more radioactive seeds into the treatment region, wherein placing one or more radioactive seeds into the treatment region further comprises placing the one or more radioactive seeds into a lumpectomy cavity in breast tissue.