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US 12,667,282 B2Granted
Methods and systems for quantitative monitoring of in vivo tumor oxygenation
AssigneesMassachusetts Institute of Technology, The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.
InventorsGregory James Ekchian, Michael J. Cima, Robert Cormack, Larissa Lee, Ehud Jeruham Schmidt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An oxygen sensor is provided for measuring a dissolved oxygen concentration when deployed or implanted at a tissue site. The oxygen sensor includes a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen. The oxygen sensor is configured to indicate the dissolved oxygen concentration of a tissue when subjected to a magnetic resonance based method. The oxygen sensor may be used to map tumor oxygenation levels and for adaptive planning in brachytherapy.
Claims19
A method for monitoring in vivo tumor oxygenation in a patient, the method comprising:
- inserting at least one oxygen sensor unit, which comprises a catheter and a first quantity of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen, into a first selected subvolume of a tumor located within the patient;
- using magnetic resonance (MR) to assess an MR property of the at least one oxygen sensor unit;
- and
- quantifying an oxygen level in the first selected subvolume of the tumor, based on the assessed MR property and a calibration curve;
- wherein the first quantity of the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen (i) is disposed and secured on an outer surface of the catheter, or (ii) is disposed and secured in an interior volume of the catheter when a portion of the outer surface of the catheter is oxygen permeable or comprises a path for oxygen diffusion, and
- wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen comprises a liquid phase silicone dispersed in a chemically cross-linked silicone elastomer matrix.
3 more elements
A method of treating a solid tumor in a patient, the method comprising:
- selectively placing a plurality of oxygen sensor units, comprising a catheter and a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen, directly into the tumor or tissues surrounding the tumor;
- selectively placing a plurality of radiation source catheters directly into the tumor or tissues surrounding the tumor to deliver high dose rate brachytherapy;
- and
- measuring oxygen levels about the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen, using MRI to assess an MR relaxation time (T1) of protons in the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen, wherein said measuring is conducted before, during, and/or after the high dose rate brachytherapy;
- wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen (i) is disposed and secured on an outer surface of the catheter, or (ii) is disposed and secured in an interior volume of the catheter when a portion of the outer surface of the catheter is oxygen permeable or comprises a path for oxygen diffusion, and
- wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen comprises a liquid phase silicone dispersed in a chemically cross-linked silicone elastomer matrix.
3 more elements
A medical device for monitoring in vivo tissue oxygenation comprising:
- a catheter having at least a distal end portion configured for insertion into tissue within a patient;
- and
- one or more units of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing,
- wherein the catheter comprises (i) an oxygen-permeable annular tube in which the one or more units of the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing are disposed and secured, (ii) an annular tube in which a portion is oxygen permeable in which the one or more units of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing are disposed and secured, (iii) an outer surface onto which the one or more units of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing are fixed and secured, or (iv) a combination of (i), (ii), and (iii), and
- wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen comprises a liquid phase silicone dispersed in a chemically cross-linked silicone elastomer matrix.
2 more elements
A system for treating a solid tumor in a patient comprising:
- an alignment template having a plurality of holes;
- and
- two or more oxygen sensor units, wherein each oxygen sensor unit (i) comprises one or more units of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen sensing, (ii) is a catheter having at least a distal end portion configured for insertion into tissue within a patient, and (iii) is configured for passage through a respective one of the plurality of holes;
- wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen (i) is disposed and secured on an outer surface of the catheter, or (ii) is disposed and secured in an interior volume of the catheter when a portion of the outer surface of the catheter is oxygen permeable or comprises a path for oxygen diffusion, and
- wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen comprises a liquid phase silicone dispersed in a chemically cross-linked silicone elastomer matrix.
2 more elements
A method for monitoring in vivo tumor oxygenation in a patient, the method comprising:
- inserting at least one oxygen sensor unit, which comprises a catheter and a first quantity of a solid-state contrast agent for oxygen, into a first selected subvolume of a tumor located within the patient;
- using MR to assess a MR relaxation time of protons in the at least one oxygen sensor unit;
- determining a quantitative reference point for a qualitative oxygen evaluation method;
- and
- determining, based at least in part on the quantitative reference point, quantitative oxygen levels in one or more subvolumes of the tumor measured with the qualitative oxygen evaluation method;
- wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen (i) is disposed and secured on an outer surface of the catheter, or (ii) is disposed and secured in an interior volume of the catheter when a portion of the outer surface of the catheter is oxygen permeable or comprises a path for oxygen diffusion, and
- wherein the solid-state contrast agent for oxygen comprises a liquid phase silicone dispersed in a chemically cross-linked silicone elastomer matrix.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.