Apparatus for hyperthermia treatment of cancer
AssigneeThe United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Dept. of Health and Human Services
InventorsJose Delannoy, Denis Le Bihan, Ching-nien Chen, Ronald L. Levin, Robert Turner
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Abstract
A hyperthermia applicator/MRI probe assembly for hyperthermia treatment of a subject. The assembly includes a hyperthermia applicator for heating target regions of a subject and a MRI probe which is utilized to monitor temperatures within the heating region. The hyperthermia applicator and MRI probe are coupled to a control system which receives information from the MRI probe and utilizes the information to control the hyperthermia applicator so as to maintain constant, desired temperatures within the heating region. The hyperthermia applicator/MRI probe assembly of the present invention allows for temperature control within about 0.5.degree. C.
Claims19
An apparatus for hyperthermia treatment of a subject wherein the temperature of the subject's body part being treated may be controlled within about .+-.0.5.degree. C., comprising:
- an MRI probe which includes a tuning/matching circuit and a radiofrequency coil for receiving and transmitting magnetic resonance signals, said tuning/matching circuit and radiofrequency coil being connected to one another, the radiofrequency coil receiving a rotating field signal induced by the subject's body part;
- a hyperthermia applicator for transmitting radiant energy, said hyperthermia applicator being positioned inside the MRI probe and being provided with an inner surface for exposure to a subject's target body part to be treated;
- said MRI probe being positioned inside a magnet and capable of providing information for detecting a variation in the temperature of the subject's body part being treated;
- a magnetic gradient coil encoding diffusion images, said magnetic gradient coil being positioned outside the hyperthermia applicator;
- and
- a filter connected to at least one of the hyperthermia applicator and the MRI probe to isolate signals thereof from one another, wherein all components of the probe, the applicator and the gradient coil are made of substantially non-ferromagnetic materials.
An apparatus for hyperthermia treatment of a subject wherein the temperature of the subject'body part being treated may be controlled within about .+-.0.5.degree. C., comprising:
- an MRI probe which includes a tuning/matching circuit and a radiofrequency coil for receiving and transmitting magnetic resonance signals, said tuning/matching circuit and radiofrequency coil being connected to one another, the radiofrequency coil receiving a rotating field signal induced by the subject's body part;
- a hyperthermia applicator for transmitting radiant energy, said hyperthermia applicator being positioned inside the MRI probe and being provided with an inner surface for exposure to a subject's target body part to be treated;
- said MRI probe being positioned inside a magnet and capable of providing information for detecting a variation in the temperature of the subject's body part being treated;
- an MRI unit connected to the MRI probe for receiving the information provided by the MRI probe and the detecting from said information a variation in the temperature of the subject's body part;
- power means connected to the hyperthermia applicator for providing a specified output thereto;
- computer means connected to the MRI unit and the power means, whereby when a variation in the temperature of the subject's body part greater than a predetermined value is detected by the MRI unit, the computer means modifies the output of the power means to correct the amount of radiant energy transmitted by the hyperthermia applicator to the body part to counter the temperature change;
- filter means connected to at least one of the hyperthermia applicator and the MRI probe to isolate signals thereof from one another;
- and
- a conformable filler covering the surface of the hyperthermia applicator and being capable of transmitting radiant energy from the hyperthermia applicator to the subject's body part to be treated, said conformable filler containing water doped with a paramagnetic compound so that the filler is not visible in MRI images and does not produce artifacts in such images;
- wherein all components of the probe, the applicator and the conformable filler.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.