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US 6,001,054 AGranted
Method and apparatus for differential energy application for local dose enhancement of ionizing radiation
OwnerD. F. Regulla, Eckhard Altinventors
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OwnerD. F. Regulla, Eckhard Altinventors
Estimating the term…
A method for treating a site in a human body to inhibit abnormal proliferation of tissue at the site includes introducing into the body at the site a metal surface which generally conforms in shape to the shape of tissue to be treated at the site. Tissue at the site is then irradiated with ionizing radiation directed onto the metal surface from a point external to the surface so as to obtain locally enhanced radiation therapy by an amplification of the radiation dosage delivered to tissue adjacent to the metal surface as a result of backscattered radiation from the metal surface. Irradiating the tissue is performed by directing a beam of radiation with an energy content selected to have a value in a range from about 10 KeV to about 400 KeV, preferably about 40 KeV, from a point external to the body toward the metal surface and onto the tissue to be treated. The metal surface, which may be solid or composed of spaced apart particles, is selected to incorporate a metal or metal ions having an atomic number greater than 20 and of at least about 40. A synergistic effect may be achieved by employing at least one of a cytostatic drug therapy and a genetically based therapy to treat the tumor, in combination with the locally enhanced radiation therapy.
A method of providing a differential therapeutic effect on a targeted lesion site within a human body, which comprises the steps of positioning a metallic surface within the body adjacent said lesion site, directing a beam of radiation of predetermined energy intensity less than about 400 KeV onto the lesion site to impinge on the metallic surface, whereby to achieve amplification of backscatter radiation from the metallic surface into the lesion site, to locally enhance the radiation dosage delivered to the lesion site to a level considerably exceeding the dosage which would be attributable to the intensity of the radiation beam alone if the metallic surface were not present.
A system for providing a differential therapeutic effect on a targeted site of tissue to be treated within a human body to inhibit cell proliferation, comprising a metallic surface positioned within the body adjacent said tissue site, and a source of radiation for generating a beam of radiation having an energy content in a range from about 10 KeV to about 400 KeV to be selectively directed onto the tissue site to impinge on the metallic surface, whereby to achieve amplification of backscatter radiation from the metallic surface into the tissue site, to locally enhance the radiation dosage delivered to the tissue site to a level considerably exceeding the dosage attributable to the intensity of the radiation beam alone if the metallic surface were not present.
A method for treating a site in a human body to inhibit abnormal proliferation of tissue at the site, which comprises the steps of employing within the body at the site a metal surface which generally conforms in shape to the shape of tissue to be treated at the site, and irradiating tissue at the site with ionizing radiation directed onto the metal surface from a point external thereto so as to obtain locally enhanced radiation therapy by an amplification of the radiation dosage delivered to tissue adjacent to the metal surface resulting from radiation backscattered from the metal surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.