Cancer detection and adaptive dose optimization treatment system
AssigneeScience & Engineering Associates, Inc.
InventorsGregory C. Mooradian, Steven Saggese, Michael D. Tocci, Nora C. Tocci
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention utilizes a series of optical and electronic elements to detect and image cancerous and/or pre-cancerous cells in living tissue. The invention further uses the images thus obtained to adaptively and dynamically shape a treatment light beam so as to maximize the beam's intensity in proportion to the areas with the most cancer or pre-cancer and to minimize the irradiation of normal tissue by the beam.
Claims43
A method for imaging and treating a sample, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) illuminating the sample with electromagnetic radiation;
- b) obtaining a plurality of images from the sample;
- c) producing a plurality of signals, each signal from said plurality of signals corresponding to one of said plurality of images;
- d) calculating, from at least one signal from said plurality of signals, a location for treatment on the sample;
- e) shaping a treatment electromagnetic radiation beam in order to configure the electromagnetic radiation beam to substantially cover the treatment location;
- f) varying an intensity profile of the treatment electromagnetic radiation beam;
- and,
- f) illuminating the treatment location with the shaped treatment electromagnetic radiation beam, in order to treat the sample.
A system for imaging and treating samples, the system comprising:
- an illumination source of electromagnetic radiation, said illumination source capable of illuminating a sample with electromagnetic radiation;
- an optical sub-system capable of collecting a plurality of images of the sample and capable of focusing electromagnetic radiation onto the sample;
- an image detector capable of capturing at least one image from said plurality of images of the sample and producing at least one detector signal;
- a processing/control sub-system capable of calculating location data for at least one location for treatment on the sample, said calculation based on said at least one detector signal;
- and,
- a treatment electromagnetic radiation source capable of producing a treatment electromagnetic radiation beam formed to substantially cover said treatment location;
- said optical subsystem being also capable of directing said treatment electromagnetic radiation beam at said at least one treatment location.
The system of claim 38 wherein said modification comprises varying an intensity profile of said treatment beam source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.