Tissue interventions using nuclear-emission image guidance
AssigneeNaviscan, Inc.
InventorsStephen Yarnall, David Beylin, Larry Hickey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for marking a lesion in a body part is provided. The method includes the steps of obtaining a first nuclear-emission image of the body part; determining a position of the lesion from the first image; percutaneously introducing a cannula to the determined position; inserting a wire into the cannula, the wire including radioactive material; retracting the cannula while holding the wire in place; and obtaining a second nuclear-emission image of the body part. The second image includes data relating to a position of the lesion and data relating to a position of the wire.
Claims32
A method for using positron emission tomography to obtain positional data relating to a lesion in a body part, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting gamma radiation emitted from the body part;
- and
- using the detected gamma radiation to determine the positional data.
A method for using nuclear emission image guidance to obtain positional data relating to a lesion in a body part, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting gamma radiation emitted from the body part;
- and
- using the detected gamma radiation to determine the positional data.
A positron emission tomography (PET) scanner system for obtaining image data relating to a compressed and/or immobilized body part, the system comprising a first detector head and a second detector head,
- wherein each of the first and second detector heads includes materials that are sensitive to gamma radiation emitted from the body part;
- and
- wherein coincidence gating is applied between signals detected by the first and second detector heads;
- and
- wherein a result of the applied coincidence gating is used to determine the image data.
A method of marking a lesion in a body part, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a first nuclear-emission image of the body part;
- determining an approximate position of the lesion from the first image;
- percutaneously introducing a cannula to the determined approximate position;
- inserting a wire into the cannula, the wire including radioactive material;
- retracting the cannula while holding the wire in place;
- and
- obtaining a second nuclear-emission image of the body part, wherein the second image includes data relating to a position of the lesion and data relating to a position of the wire.
A method for using nuclear emission image guidance to enable an intervention relating to a lesion in a portion of tissue within a body part, the method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a first nuclear emission tomograph of the portion of tissue;
- determining spatial coordinates of the portion of tissue;
- using the determined spatial coordinates to determine a desired position and orientation for a radioactive marker;
- obtaining a second nuclear emission tomograph of the portion of tissue, the second tomograph including data relating to the position and orientation of the radioactive marker;
- and
- positioning an interventional device using the second tomograph.
A nuclear emission tomography system for obtaining image data relating to a compressed and/or immobilized body part, the system comprising:
- a wire that is charged with a radioactive marker;
- and
- apparatus for detecting nuclear emission data,
- wherein when the wire is positioned near a lesion in the body part, the system is configured to provide image data for enabling an interventional device to be positioned and oriented for performance of an intervention relating to the lesion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.