Systems and methods for stabilizing a target location within a human body
OwnerDavid Krag, Steve Dimmerinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for stabilizing a target location within a human body. One embodiment of the system provides a tissue anchor for holding a tissue mass within a human body. The tissue anchor may include a lead; a tissue fastener coupled to the lead; and a marker which can be detected by a position detection system to facilitate placement of the anchor. The tissue anchor can be used to help stabilize tissue in a surgical procedure, e.g., in excising a lesion in amorphous, pliable tissue (e.g., breast tissue) or other body parts.
Claims38
1-47. (canceled)
A method of aiming a therapeutic beam, the method comprising:
- implanting a source of radioactive emissions in a patient at a position having a geometric relationship to a target tissue;
- determining at least an indication of a location of said source using at least one radioactivity detecting position sensor;
- and
- automatically aiming a therapeutic beam at said target based on said at least an indication of location.
A method of aiming a therapeutic beam, the method comprising:
- implanting a source of radioactive emissions in a patient at a position having a geometric relationship to a target tissue;
- detecting said source using at least one radioactivity detecting position sensor;
- and
- automatically aiming a therapeutic beam at said target based on detecting.
A therapy control system, the system comprising:
- a position sensing module configured to determine at least an indication of a location of an implantable radioactive source based upon radioactive emissions of said source and providing a position output signal, responsive to the determination;
- and
- control circuitry configured to receive the position output signal and calculate and output at least one of target coordinates and tool aiming instructions to an output channel, based upon the position output signal.
A method of guiding a tool, the method comprising:
- implanting a source of radioactivity at a position having a geometric relationship to a target tissue;
- determining at least an indication of a location of said source using at least one radioactivity detecting position sensor;
- and
- positioning a tool at a desired relative location with respect to said target tissue based on said determined location.
A computerized system for tracking and locating a source of ionizing radiation, the system comprising:
- at least one non-imaging sensor module comprising at least one radiation detector, said at least one radiation detector capable of receiving ionizing radiation from the radiation source and producing an output signal;
- and
- said CPU designed and configured to receive said output signal and translate said output signal to directional information.
An implantable medical marker, the marker comprising:
- a marker body adapted for insertion via a needle and adapted to define a volume with a smallest dimension larger than an inner diameter of the needle;
- and
- a radiation source—characterized by gamma emissions sufficient to exit the human body.
A marker according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gamma emissions produce not more than 5×107 photons/second.
A marker according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gamma radiation is characterized by an average energy of at least 50 kev.
A marker according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gamma radiation is characterized by an average energy of at least 150 kev.
A marker according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gamma radiation is characterized by an average energy not exceeding 400 kev.
A marker according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the gamma radiation is characterized by an average energy not exceeding 1000 kev.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.