System and method for monitoring tissue temperature
AssigneeGyrus Medical Limited
InventorDavid Nicholas Williams
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Abstract
A method and system for monitoring tissue temperature during microwave ablation of such tissue is disclosed. The method includes applying a predetermined correction value to a temperature measurement to provide a corrected temperature value.
Claims17
A method of monitoring tissue temperature during microwave ablation of such tissue, the method comprising:
- providing a power source operable to provide a controlled microwave energy output;
- providing a microwave probe having a body and an antenna extending through the body and operable to deliver microwave energy from the power source out of the microwave probe;
- providing a thermocouple on the body of the microwave probe, the thermocouple being separated from the body by a layer of thermally insulating material, the thermocouple being operable to generate an output voltage in dependence upon a temperature experienced by the thermocouple;
- supplying a controlled microwave energy output from the power source to the antenna, thereby causing microwave energy to radiate from the antenna to form an ablation zone;
- detecting an output voltage generated by the thermocouple in response to a temperature experienced by the thermocouple;
- determining a temperature value relating to the detected output voltage;
- and
- applying a predetermined correction value to the determined temperature value, so as to provide a corrected temperature value.
A method of controlling a microwave probe during microwave ablation of tissue, the method comprising a method of monitoring tissue temperature as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and further comprising controlling the microwave energy supplied from the power source to the antenna such that the corrected temperature value substantially reaches a predetermined target value.
A microwave ablation apparatus comprising:
- a power source operable to provide a controlled microwave energy output;
- a microwave probe having a body and an antenna extending through the body and operable to deliver microwave energy from the power source out of the microwave probe;
- a thermocouple on the body of the microwave probe, the thermocouple being separated from the body by a layer of thermally insulating material, the thermocouple being operable to generate an output voltage in dependence upon a temperature experienced by the thermocouple;
- a detector operable to detect an output voltage generated by the thermocouple in response to a temperature experienced by the thermocouple;
- a calculation unit operable to determine a temperature value relating to the detected output voltage;
- a correction unit operable to apply a predetermined correction value to such a determined temperature value, and to provide a corrected temperature value;
- and
- a controller operable to control microwave energy supplied to the antenna from the power source such that the corrected temperature value reaches a predetermined target value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.