Method and apparatus for volumetric interstitial conductive hyperthermia

A system for producing volumetric, thermally conductive hyperthermia for the treatment of a tissue mass in a patient, comprising:

• implantable, heat-emitting means responsive to power applied thereto for producing thermally conductive heat in a predetermined thermally conducted temperature distribution in said tissue mass when implanted in said tissue mass in a predetermined pattern;
• temperature sensor means for measuring temperature thereabout when implanted in said tissue mass;
• and
• control means responsive to the temperature measured about said sensor means and the power applied to said heat-emitting means for controlling the power applied to said heat-emitting means.

A system for producing volumetric, thermally conductive hyperthermia for the treatment of a tissue mass in a patient, comprising:

• a plurality of implantable probes each including a heater element, each of said heater elements being responsive to power applied thereto for producing thermally conductive heat in an individual, predetermined, thermally conducted temperature distribution in said tissue mass;
• said plurality of implantable probes also including a plurality of temperature sensors each for measuring temperature thereabout;
• and
• control means responsive to the temperature measured about each of said temperature sensors and the power applied to each of said heater elements when said plurality of probes are implanted in said tissue mass in a determinable pattern for controlling the power applied to each of said heater elements to produce a combinational, predetermined, thermally conducted temperature distribution in said tissue mass resulting from the individual temperature distributions.

A system for producing volumetric, thermally conductive hyperthermia for the treatment of a tissue mass in a patient, comprising:

• a plurality of implantable probes each having an outer surface and including a heater element therein for producing thermally conductive heat;
• each of said probes also including a temperature sensor for determining an outer surface temperature of the probe;
• and
• control means responsive to the outer surface temperature determined by each of said sensors and a thermal conduction property of said tissue mass for controlling the power applied to said heater elements to produce a predetermined minimum temperature throughout said tissue mass.

A system for producing volumetric, thermally conductive hyperthermia for the treatment of a tissue mass in a patient, comprising:

• heat-emitting probe means shaped for interstitial implantation in said tissue mass and responsive to power applied thereto for radiating thermally conducted heat therefrom at a predetermined surface temperature;
• temperature sensor means for determining surface temperature of said probe means when implanted in said tissue mass;
• and
• control means responsive to the surface temperature determined by said temperature sensor means for controlling the power applied to said heat-emitting probe means when interstitially implanted in said tissue mass in a predetermined pattern for producing a predetermined thermally conducted temperature distribution in said tissue mass.

A system for producing volumetric, thermally conductive hyperthermia for the treatment of a tissue mass having a temperature distribution in a patient, comprising:

• interstitially implantable, heat-emitting probe means responsive to power applied thereto for producing thermally conductive heat to change said temperature distribution of said tissue mass;
• temperature sensor means for measuring temperature thereabout when implanted in said tissue mass;
• and
• control means responsive to the temperature measured about said sensor means and the power applied to said probe means for controlling the power applied to said interstitially implantable, heat-emitting probe means for producing thermally conductive heat to change said temperature distribution of said tissue mass.

A system for producing volumetric, thermally conductive hyperthermia for the treatment of a tissue mass in a patient, comprising:

• implantable, heat-emitting probe means responsive to energy applied thereto for producing thermally conductive heat in a predetermined thermally conducted temperature distribution in said tissue mass when interstitially implanted in said tissue mass in a predetermined pattern;
• temperature sensor means for measuring temperature thereabout when implanted in said tissue mass;
• and
• control means responsive to the temperature measured about said sensor means and the energy applied to said probe means for controlling the energy applied to said implantable, heat-emitting probe means to produce said predetermined thermally conducted temperature distribution in said tissue mass.

A system for producing volumetric, thermally conductive hyperthermia for the treatment of a tissue mass in a patient, comprising:

• a plurality of interstitially implantable probes each having an outer surface and including a heat-emitting element therein for producing thermally conductive heat;
• each of said probes also including a temperature sensor for determining an outer surface temperature of the probe;
• and
• control means responsive to the outer surface temperature determined by each of said sensors and a thermally conducted temperature distribution of said tissue mass for controlling the energy applied to said heat-emitting elements to produce a predetermined minimum temperature throughout said tissue mass.

A system for producing volumetric, thermally conductive hyperthermia for the treatment of a tissue mass in a patient, comprising:

• heat-emitting probe means shaped for interstitial implantation in said tissue mass and responsive to energy applied thereto for radiating thermally conducted heat therefrom at a predetermined surface temperature;
• temperature sensor means for determining surface temperature of said probe means when implanted in said tissue mass;
• and
• control means responsive to the surface temperature determined by said temperature sensor means for controlling the energy applied to said heat-emitting probe means when interstitially implanted in said tissue mass in a predetermined pattern for producing a predetermined thermally conducted temperature distribution in said tissue mass.

A system for producing volumetric, thermally conductive hyperthermia for the treatment of a tissue mass having a temperature distribution in a patient, comprising:

• interstitially implantable, heat-emitting probe means responsive to energy applied thereto for producing thermally conductive heat to change said temperature distribution of said tissue mass;
• temperature sensor means for measuring temperature thereabout when implanted in said tissue mass;
• and
• control means responsive to the temperature measured about said sensor means and the energy applied to said probe means for controlling the energy applied to said interstitially implantable, heat-emitting probe means for producing thermally conductive heat to change said temperature distribution of said tissue mass.

A system for producing volumetric hyperthermia for the treatment of a tissue mass in a patient, comprising:

• a plurality of interstitially implantable probes responsive to power applied thereto for producing thermally conductive heat in said tissue mass;
• sensor means for determining the thermal conductivity of said tissue mass;
• and
• control means responsive to the power applied to said probes and the thermal conductivity of said tissue mass for controlling the power applied to said probes to produce a predetermined minimum temperature throughout said tissue mass.