Neutron brachytherapy device and method
AssigneeIsotron, Inc.
InventorDavid Halpern
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A neutron source for neutron brachytherapy is disclosed that may generate neutrons to treat cancer and other tumors. The neutron source in accordance with the invention may include a capsule into which the neutron emitting material is loaded and a guide wire. A coiled wire may be placed around the capsule and the guide wire to strengthen the capsule and guide wire. In accordance with one embodiment, the capsule containing the neutron emitting material is sufficiently thin so that the helium gas generated during the decay of the neutron emitting material may escape into the atmosphere. In a preferred embodiment, the neutron emitting material may be Californium (Cf225).
Claims26
A neutron source for performing neutron brachytherapy, the neutron source comprising:
- a neutron emitting source material, the neutron emitting source material radioactively decaying and releasing helium gas and neutrons during the decay;
- a capsule within which the neutron emitting source material is encapsulated with capsule walls that do not interfere with the neutrons and the capsule being sufficiently small so that it can be inserted interstitially into the body of a patient to treat tumor cells locally by releasing neutrons into the tumor cells and damaging the tumor cells with the neutrons;
- and
- a guide wire attached to the capsule, the guide wire controlling the positioning of the capsule within the patient.
A method for treating a tumor in a patient using a neutron source device, comprising:
- inserting a catheter into the tumor in the patient;
- and
- positioning a neutron source device within the catheter so that the neutron source device is positioned in the tumor to kill the tumor cells using neutrons emitted from the neutron source device, the neutron source comprising a neutron emitting source material that radioactively decays and releases helium gas and neutrons during the decay, a capsule within which the neutron emitting source material is encapsulated with capsule walls that do not interfere with the neutrons and the capsule being sufficiently small so that it can be inserted interstitially into the body of a patient to treat tumor cells locally by releasing neutrons into the tumor cells and damaging the tumor cells with the neutrons, and a guide wire attached to the capsule, the guide wire controlling the positioning of the capsule within the patient.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.