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US 4,700,716 AGranted
Collinear antenna array applicator
AssigneeKasevich Associates, Inc.
InventorsRaymond S. Kasevich, James F. McQueeney, Ronald H. Crooker
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AssigneeKasevich Associates, Inc.
InventorsRaymond S. Kasevich, James F. McQueeney, Ronald H. Crooker
Estimating the term…
A microwave collinear antenna array applicator for in situ or in vivo treatment of tumors and/or other materials by hyperthermia is disclosed. The array consists of a plurality of harmonically related resonant coaxial antenna elements connected electrically in series to provide uniform heating along the entire length of the array. At the distal end of the array, a resistor may be provided at the inner conductor for steering the heating pattern. At the proximal end of the array, an impedance matching dielectric structure is provided to enable maximum power transfer to the array and to minimize stray leakage currents along the outside of the coaxial transmission line. The array may be made longer or shorter without changing frequency and therefore depth of penetration by simply adding or subtracting half-wave resonant elements or sections of coaxial transmission line. A lossy sleeve member may be provided around the applicator to provide a localized source of heat.
A microwave collinear antenna array applicator having a proximal end which is adapted to be coupled to a source of microwave energy and an extended distal region for applying said energy for hyperthermia treatment comprising a plurality of harmonically related resonant coaxial antenna elements forming said distal region, said elements formed of an inner conductor having a distal end in the distal region and an outer coaxial conductor with a distal end in the distal region, said elements being electrically connected in series to provide a uniform heating pattern of microwave radiation along the length of the distal region of the applicator and wherein the proximal end includes an impedance matching means comprising a dielectric tube encircling the outer coaxial conductor and a conductive sheath around the dielectric tube in contact with the proximal end of the outer coaxial conductor.
A hyperthermia device having a proximal section adapted to be coupled to a source of electromagnetic energy and a distal section for radiating said energy comprising a collinear antenna array formed of a continuous inner conductor and a distal end in the distal section surrounded by dielectric material and an interrupted coaxial outer conductor longitudinally extending at one end from the proximal section to another end at the distal section and wherein the interruptions are in the form of circumferential gaps periodically spaced along the coaxial conductor at interrelated harmonic wavelengths to radiate a substantially uniform beam pattern of electromagnetic energy about the periphery of the antenna and an impedance matching transformer formed at the proximal section comprising a dielectric tube surrounding the coaxial conductor with a conductive sheath surrounding the tube and in contact with the end of the coaxial conductor nearest the proximal section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.