Microspheres for radiation therapy
AssigneeThe Curators of the University of Missouri
InventorsDelbert E. Day, Gary J. Ehrhardt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Microspheres for radiation therapy of a mammal which have a non-radioactive isotope which emits beta or gamma radiation of therapeutic intensity upon being irradiated. The microspheres also contain elements which do not become radioactive upon irradiation. The chemical durability of the microspheres is such that they do not release a significant amount of radiation emitting radioisotope into the mammal's system upon administration. Microspheres containing phosphorus or yttrium; and carbon, nitrogen, fluorine, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, potassium, vanadium, manganese, gallium, niobium, iodine and/or lead.
Claims20
A substantially spherical microsphere adapted for radiation therapy of a mammal consisting essentially of at least one non-radioactive isotope distributed substantially uniformly throughout the microsphere and which, upon being subjected to an effective amount of neutron irradiation, emits a therapeutic intensity and amount of beta or gamma radiation, and a balance of elements selected from the group consisting of elements that do not become radioactive during neutron irradiation and elements that have a half-life that is sufficiently short so that the balance of elements does not emit a significant amount of beta or gamma radiation at the time of administration, the microsphere having a chemical durability such that subsequent to administration of the microsphere to the mammal, the microsphere will not release a significant amount of radiation emitting radioisotope into the mammal's system.
A substantially spherical microsphere adapted for radiation therapy of a mammal, said microsphere consisting essentially of a non-radioactive isotope selected from the group consisting of yttrium or phosphorus and a balance of elements selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, flourine, sodium, magnesium, aluminum, silicon, potassium, vanadium, manganese, gallium, niobium, lead, titanium, copper, germanium, and zirconium, the microsphere having a chemical durability such that subsequent to administration of the microsphere to the mammal, the microsphere will not release a significant amount of radiation emitting radioisotope into the mammal's system.
A biologically compatible microsphere for radiation therapy of a mammal comprising at least one non-radioactive isotope distributed substantially throughout the microsphere which upon neutron irradiation forms a radioisotope which emits a therapeutic intensity and amount of beta or gamma radiation and has a half-life greater than about 2 and less than about 30 days, and a balance of elements selected from the group consisting of elements that do not become radioactive upon neutron irradiation and elements that have a half-life that is sufficiently short so that the elements do not emit a significant amount of beta or gamma radiation at the time of administration, the microsphere having a chemical durability such that subsequent to administration of the microsphere to the mammal, the microsphere will not release a significant amount of the radiation emitting radioisotope into the mammal's system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.