# US 11,896,844 B2 · Urinary catheter for detecting radiation

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- Number: US 11,896,844 B2
- Document ID: US11896844B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/236,089
- Filed: 2021-04-21
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-12-13
- Assignees: NU-RISE Lda
- Applicants: NU-RISE Lda
- Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho; Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11896844B2

## CPC

- A61N 5/1002: {Intraluminal radiation therapy}
- A61N 5/1014: {Intracavitary radiation therapy}
- A61M 25/0017: {specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections}
- A61M 25/10: Balloon catheters ({A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02;} inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 {; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00})
- A61M 27/00: Drainage appliance for wounds or the like {, i.e. wound drains, implanted drains} ({negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90;} implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 {; middle ear drainage A61F11/202})
- A61N 5/1027: {Interstitial radiation therapy}
- A61N 5/1049: {for verifying the position of the patient with respect to the radiation beam}
- G01T 1/2002: {Optical details, e.g. reflecting or diffusing layers}
- G01T 1/2006: {using a combination of a scintillator and photodetector which measures the means radiation intensity}
- G01T 1/201: {using scintillating fibres}
- A61M 25/04: in the body, e.g. expansible {(A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence)}
- A61M 25/1011: {Multiple balloon catheters}
- A61M 2025/1079: {having radio-opaque markers in the region of the balloon}
- A61N 2005/1003: {having means for centering a radioactive source within the lumen, e.g. balloons}
- A61N 2005/1008: {Apparatus for temporary insertion of sources, e.g. afterloaders}
- A61N 2005/1051: {using an active marker}
- 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)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00)

## Abstract

Interstitial brachytherapy is a cancer treatment in which radioactive material is placed directly in the target tissue of the affected site using an afterloader. The accuracy of this placement is monitored in real time using a urinary catheter that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured by sensors in the walls of the urinary catheter. A scintillator that is embedded in the walls of the urinary catheter produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is carried through optical fibers and then converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals. This location can be used as quality control feedback to the afterloader.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A urinary catheter for detecting radiation produced by a radiation source that is controlled by an afterloader, the urinary catheter comprising: a plurality of scintillators embedded into walls of the urinary catheter; and a plurality of optical fibers located in one or more optical fiber lumens that pass through the urinary catheter, wherein: the urinary catheter comprises an inflation lumen, in a deflated state, a diameter of the inflation lumen is smaller than a diameter of each of the one or more optical fiber lumens, each scintillator is configured to produce light in a presence of radiation from the radiation source, a level of the light produced by each scintillator is proportional to a level of the radiation incident to each scintillator; each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers is operably coupled to a scintillator of the plurality of scintillators, each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers is operably coupled to a light detection unit of a plurality of light detection units, each light detection unit is configured to produce an electrical signal in a presence of the light from one scintillator of the plurality of scintillators, a level of the electrical signal produced by each light detection unit is proportional to the light incident to each light detection unit; and a location of the radiation source is determined according to the electrical signals from the plurality of light detection units, wherein each of the plurality of electrical signals corresponds to a different scintillator of the plurality of scintillators, the urinary catheter comprises a balloon for expanding the urinary catheter near a tumor location wherein the plurality of scintillators and the plurality of optical fibers are spread out when the balloon is expanded.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The urinary catheter of claim 1, wherein a system comprises the urinary catheter, the plurality of light detection units, and a processor operable to determine the location of the radiation source.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The urinary catheter of claim 1, wherein a processor is configured to calculate the location of the radiation source by triangulation according to the electrical signals from the plurality of light detection units.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The urinary catheter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light detection units are photodetectors.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The urinary catheter of claim 1, wherein the urinary catheter comprises a plurality of fiducial markers embedded into the walls of the urinary catheter in proximity to the plurality of scintillators.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The urinary catheter of claim 5, wherein the plurality of fiducial markers are located via an MRI machine after the urinary catheter is placed in a patient and prior to radiation therapy.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The urinary catheter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of scintillators is three scintillators and the plurality of optical fibers is three optical fibers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The urinary catheter of claim 1, wherein the urinary catheter comprises a balloon for maintaining one end of the urinary catheter in a patient's bladder.

### Claim 9

A urinary catheter, the urinary catheter comprising: an afterloader catheter operable to carry a radiation source; a plurality of scintillators embedded into walls of the urinary catheter; and a plurality of optical fibers located in one or more optical fiber lumens that pass through the urinary catheter, wherein: the urinary catheter comprises an inflation lumen, in a deflated state, a diameter of the inflation lumen is smaller than a diameter of each of the one or more optical fiber lumens, each scintillator is configured to produce light in a presence of radiation from the radiation source, a level of the light produced by each scintillator is proportional to a level of the radiation incident to each scintillator; each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers is operably coupled to a scintillator of the plurality of scintillators, each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers is operably coupled to a light detection unit of a plurality of light detection units, each light detection unit is configured to produce an electrical signal in a presence of the light from one scintillator of the plurality of scintillators, a level of the electrical signal produced by each light detection unit is proportional to the light incident to each light detection unit; and a location of the radiation source is determined according to the electrical signals from the plurality of light detection units, wherein each of the plurality of electrical signals corresponds to a different scintillator of the plurality of scintillators, the urinary catheter comprises a balloon for expanding the urinary catheter near a tumor location wherein the plurality of scintillators and the plurality of optical fibers are spread out when the balloon is expanded.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The urinary catheter of claim 9, wherein a system comprises the urinary catheter, the plurality of light detection units, and a processor operable to determine the location of the radiation source, and wherein the location of the radiation source is input to an afterloader that is controlling the radiation source.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The urinary catheter of claim 9, wherein a processor is configured to calculate the location of the radiation source by triangulation according to the electrical signals from the plurality of light detection units.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The urinary catheter of claim 9, wherein the plurality of light detection units are photodetectors.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The urinary catheter of claim 9, wherein the urinary catheter comprises a plurality of fiducial markers embedded into the walls of the urinary catheter in proximity to the plurality of scintillators.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The urinary catheter of claim 13, wherein a position of each of the plurality of fiducial markers is determined via an MRI machine after the urinary catheter is placed in a patient and prior to radiation therapy.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The urinary catheter of claim 9, wherein the plurality of scintillators is three scintillators and the plurality of optical fibers is three optical fibers.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The urinary catheter of claim 9, wherein the urinary catheter comprises a balloon for maintaining one end of the urinary catheter in a patient's bladder.