Photodynamic therapy illuminator devices and methods

A system for photodynamically diagnosing or treating a patient, comprising:

• a mobile base;
• a vertical column extending perpendicular from the base;
• a controller supported by the vertical column;
• an extension member disposed at least partially within the vertical column;
• an arm mounted to a top of the extension member;
• and
• an illuminator connected to the arm, the extension member and the arm being movable relative to the vertical column to allow adjustment of a position of the illuminator, the illuminator comprising a plurality of panels configured to uniformly illuminate a treatment surface of a patient.

A method of photodynamically diagnosing or treating a patient, comprising:

• detecting a position of an illuminator via one or more of a plurality of sensors, the illuminator being rotatable in a range from approximately zero degrees up to approximately 90 degrees relative to a mounting axis thereof;
• identifying a treatment surface of the patient;
• determining a dosing parameter;
• initiating a treatment cycle;
• and
• causing air cooler than the treatment surface to be directed to the patient responsive to an input from a controller which is operable during the treatment cycle to alleviate pain following administration of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) to the patient.

An illuminator for diagnosing or treating a patient, comprising:

• a plurality of panels;
• and
• a plurality of distance sensors, wherein each of the distance sensors is associated with a corresponding panel of the plurality of panels,
• the illuminator being configured to rotate approximately up to 180 degrees about a first axis and approximately up to 90 degrees around a second axis, the first axis perpendicular to the second axis,
• the plurality of distance sensors being configured to sense a distance between each corresponding panels and a treatment surface;
• and
• the plurality of panels being configured to be arranged into a use position based on the distance between each corresponding panel and the treatment surface.