Probe and system and method for detecting radiation and magnetic activity from body tissue

A probe, comprising:

• a handle having a longitudinal axis and a substantially elongated shaft portion fixed to and extending from the handle, the shaft portion being adapted to be inserted into a cavity of a body or held above a tissue of interest to detect radiation emitted from a radiation emitting source or to detect magnetic activity from a magnetic emitting source implanted within the body or in the tissue of interest, the shaft portion having a substantially straight portion, an attachment mechanism at a distal end of the substantially straight portion and a detachable probe portion rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the handle and with respect to the substantially straight portion to selectively rotate the probe portion into a plurality of predetermined angular positions about the longitudinal axis to position the probe for detecting and measuring the radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or for detecting and measuring the magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source, the detachable probe portion having a proximal end detachably coupled to the attachment mechanism and rotatable thereon into the plurality of predetermined angular positions;
• at least one sensor associated with the shaft portion configured to detect and measure the radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or to detect and measure the magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source;
• a substantially elongated sterile probe cover detachably mounted over the shaft portion;
• a signal processing device for processing data for the detected and measured radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or for the detected and measured magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source;
• and
• a communication medium associated with the probe to provide the processed data for the detected and measured radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or to provide the processed data for the detected and measured magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source from the signal processing device to a receiving device associated with an external data processor unit, the external data processor unit for processing and selectively displaying radiation detection information corresponding to the received processed data for the detected and measured radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or for processing and selectively displaying magnetic activity information corresponding to the received processed data for the detected and measured magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source.

A detection system for detecting radiation or magnetic activity, comprising:

• a probe, the probe adapted to be inserted into a cavity of a body or held above a tissue of interest to detect radiation emitted from a radiation emitting source or to detect magnetic activity from a magnetic emitting source implanted within the body or in the tissue of interest, the probe having a longitudinal axis and a shaft portion fixed to a handle, the shaft portion having a substantially straight portion, an attachment mechanism at a distal end of the substantially straight portion and a detachable probe portion rotatable about the longitudinal axis and with respect to the substantially straight portion to selectively rotate the probe portion into a plurality of predetermined angular positions about the longitudinal axis to position the probe for detecting and measuring the radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or for detecting and measuring the magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source, the detachable probe portion having a proximal end detachably coupled to the attachment mechanism and rotatable thereon into the plurality of predetermined angular positions;
• at least one sensor associated with the shaft portion to detect and measure the radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or to detect and measure the magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source;
• a sterile probe cover detachably mounted over the shaft portion;
• a signal processing device associated with the probe for processing data for the detected and measured radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or for the detected and measured magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source;
• and
• a communication medium associated with the probe to provide the processed data for the detected and measured radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or to provide the processed data for the detected and measured magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source from the signal processing device to a receiving device associated with an external data processor unit for processing and selectively displaying radiation detection information corresponding to the received processed data for the detected and measured radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or for processing and selectively displaying magnetic activity information corresponding to the received processed data for the detected and measured magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source.

A method for measuring radiation or magnetic activity, comprising the steps of:

• identifying a target tissue of interest;
• disposing a radiation emitting source or a magnetic emitting source at a location corresponding to the target tissue of interest;
• positioning a probe in proximity to the radiation emitting source or in proximity to the magnetic emitting source, the probe adapted to be inserted into a cavity of a body or held above the target tissue of interest to detect radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or to detect magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source, the probe having a shaft portion fixed to a handle, a longitudinal axis and a sterile probe cover detachably mounted over the shaft portion, the shaft portion having a substantially straight portion, an attachment mechanism at a distal end of the substantially straight portion and a detachable probe portion rotatable about the longitudinal axis and with respect to the substantially straight portion to selectively rotate the probe portion into a plurality of predetermined angular positions about the longitudinal axis to position the probe for detecting and measuring the radiation emitted from the radiation emitting source or for detecting and measuring the magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source, the detachable probe portion having a proximal end detachably coupled to the attachment mechanism and rotatable thereon into the plurality of predetermined angular positions;
• measuring radioactivity from the radiation emitted from radiation emitting source or measuring the magnetic activity from the magnetic emitting source based on a distance of the probe from the radiation emitting source or from the magnetic emitting source;
• transmitting from the probe radioactivity data corresponding to the measurement of the radioactivity or transmitting from the probe magnetic activity data corresponding to the measurement of the magnetic activity to a data processor by wired or wireless communication;
• processing by the data processor the received radioactivity data to provide radiation detection information or processing by the data processor the received magnetic activity data to provide magnetic activity information;
• and
• selectively displaying by a display device associated with the data processor the radiation detection information or the magnetic activity information.