Automated implantation system for radioisotope seeds

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• a storage structure adapted to hold a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly;
• an ultrasound probe;
• a first Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and into the patient and selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the storage structure into the needle assembly;
• a second Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves the ultrasound probe in a probe axis generally parallel to the insertion axis;
• a computer processor operably connected to at least the second Z-axis automated motion control systems and to the ultrasound probe such that the computer processor utilizes the ultrasound probe to monitors a position of an organ being treated in the brachytherapy procedure and selectively adjusts a base plane position of the insertion axis relative to the organ, and
• an autofocus system operably connected to the ultrasound probe and the second Z axis automated motion control system such that the computer processor utilizes the autofocus system to automatically adjust the base plane position.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• a storage structure adapted to hold a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly;
• a first Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and into the patient and selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the storage structure into the needle assembly;
• an ultrasound probe;
• a second Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves the ultrasound probe in a probe axis generally parallel to the insertion axis;
• and
• a computer processor operably connected to at least the second Z-axis automated motion control system that executes an autocalibration routine that automatically calibrates the second Z-axis automated motion control system prior to utilizing the ultrasound probe in the brachytherapy procedure.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• a storage structure adapted to hold a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly including a needle coaxially located within a canula;
• a needle automated motion control system that controls the needle;
• and
• a canula automated motion control system that controls the canula separately from the needle,
• such that the needle automated motion control system and the canula automated motion control system cooperate to initially move the needle and canula along an insertion axis and into the patient and the needle automated motion control system withdraws the needle to selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from storage structure into the canula.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• a storage structure adapted to hold a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly;
• a Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and into the patient and selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the storage structure into the needle assembly;
• a targeting indication system that demarks a location of where the insertion axis is positioned on the patient during a brachytherapy procedure;
• and
• at least a plurality of light emitting devices that generate a corresponding plurality of light beams on the location.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy comprising:

• a storage structure adapted to hold a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly;
• a Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and into the patient and selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the storage structure into the needle assembly;
• and
• a base station that supports at least the Z-axis automated motion control system and the needle assembly and positions the insertion axis relative to the patient, the base station including:
• a base;
• a moveable assembly that includes the insertion axis and is orientable independently of the base;
• and
• a stand operably connected between the base and the moveable assembly wherein the stand includes:
• a gross vertical adjustment mechanism that adjusts a vertical height of the moveable assembly relative to the base;
• a rotation mechanism that pivots the moveable assembly about a vertical axis relative to the base;
• a lateral positioning mechanism that adjusts a lateral position of the moveable assembly in relation to the vertical axis;
• and
• a tilt mechanism that tilts the moveable assembly relative to a horizontal plane perpendicular to vertical axis.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• a storage structure adapted to hold a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly;
• an ultrasound probe having an outer rigid sheath coaxial with the ultrasound probe;
• a first Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the storage structure into the needle assembly;
• a second Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves the ultrasound probe in a probe axis generally parallel to the insertion axis such that the second Z-axis automated motion control system initially positions both the outer sheath and the ultrasound probe in the patient and then moves only the ultrasound probe along the probe axis and within the sheath to generate ultrasound images along the probe axis.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• cartridge receiving structure adapted to receive a cartridge containing a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly;
• carrier receiving structure adapted to receive a carrier structure containing an ultrasound probe;
• a first Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the storage structure into the needle assembly;
• a second Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves the ultrasound probe in a probe axis generally parallel to the axis of insertion.

A method of operating an automated implantation system having a Z-axis automated motion control system and an X-Y axis automated motion control system that control at least a needle assembly for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• (a) using the X-Y axis automated motion control system to position an insertion axis of the needle assembly relative to the patient;
• (b) using the Z-axis automated motion control system to selectively move the needle assembly along the insertion axis to implant at least one radioisotope seed wherein the needle assembly comprises a needle coaxially located within a canula and wherein the Z-axis automated motion control system comprises a needle automated motion control system that controls the needle and a canula automated motion control system that controls the canula and step (b) comprises:
• (b1) using the needle automated motion control system and the canula automated motion control system to repetitively advancing the needle a distance beyond the canula along the insertion axis and then advancing the canula that same distance until the canula is positioned at a desired depth relative to the base plane;
• (b2) using the needle automated motion control system to withdraw the needle once the canula is positioned at the desired depth to accept a radioisotope seed and then advancing the needle to position the radioisotope seed in the canula;
• and
• (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for a plurality of locations on a base plane perpendicular to the insertion axis.

A method of operating an automated system for inserting a needle assembly for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure, the needle assembly comprising a needle coaxially located within a canula and the automated system comprising a needle automated motion control system that controls the needle and a canula automated motion control system that controls the canula, the method comprising:

• (a) positioning the needle assembly along an insertion axis relative to the patient;
• (b) using the needle automated motion control system and the canula automated motion control system to repetitively advancing the needle a distance beyond the canula along the insertion axis and then advancing the canula that same distance until the canula is positioned at a desired depth;
• and
• (c) using the needle automated motion control system to withdraw the needle once the canula is positioned at the desired depth to accept a radioisotope seed and then advancing the needle to position the radioisotope seed in the canula.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• means for storing at least a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly;
• an ultrasound probe;
• first automated means for selectively moving at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis;
• second automated means for selectively moving the ultrasound probe in a probe axis generally parallel to the insertion axis;
• and
• a computer processor means operably connected to at least the second automated means and to the ultrasound probe for monitoring a position of an organ being treated in the brachytherapy procedure and selectively adjusting a base plane position of the insertion axis relative to the organ.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• means for storing at least a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly;
• an ultrasound probe;
• a first automated means for selectively moving at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and for selectively ejecting radioisotope seeds from the storage structure into the needle assembly;
• a second automated means for selectively moving the ultrasound probe in a probe axis generally parallel to the insertion axis;
• and
• a computer processor operably connected to at least the second automated means, including means for automatically calibrating the second automated means prior to utilizing the ultrasound probe in the brachytherapy procedure.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• means for storing at least a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle coaxially located within a canula;
• first automated means for controlling movement of the needle along an insertion axis;
• and
• second automated means for controlling movement of the canula along the insertion axis.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• means for storing at least a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly;
• automated means for selectively moving at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and selectively ejecting radioisotope seeds from the means for storing into the needle assembly;
• and
• a base station that supports at least the automated means and the needle assembly and positions the insertion axis relative to the patient, the base station including:
• a base;
• a moveable assembly that includes the insertion axis;
• and
• means operably connected between the base and the moveable assembly for orienting the moveable assembly independently of the base, including:
• means for adjusting a vertical height of the moveable assembly relative to the base;
• means for pivoting the moveable assembly about a vertical axis relative to the base;
• means for adjusting a lateral position of the moveable assembly in relation to the vertical axis;
• and
• means for tilting the moveable assembly relative to a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical axis.

An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising:

• cartridge receiving structure adapted to receive a cartridge containing a plurality of radioisotope seeds;
• a needle assembly;
• carrier receiving structure adapted to receive a carrier structure containing an ultrasound probe;
• first automated means for selectively moving at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and selectively ejecting radioisotope seeds from the cartridge;
• second automated means for selectively moving the ultrasound probe in a probe axis generally parallel to the axis of insertion.

An automated system for controlling insertion of a needle assembly into a patient along an insertion axis, the needle assembly having a needle coaxially located within a canula, the automated system comprising:

• base structure that positions the insertion axis relative to the patient, the base structure having a base, a moveable assembly that is orientable independently of the base and includes structure defined along a portion of the insertion axis to receive the needle assembly and, and structure operably connected between the base and the moveable assembly;
• a Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves the needle assembly along the insertion axis when the needle assembly is positioned in the moveable assembly, wherein the Z-axis automated motion control system comprises:
• a needle automated motion control system that controls the needle;
• and
• a canula automated motion control system that controls the canula;
• an X-Y axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly in a plane perpendicular to the insertion axis;
• and
• a computer processor operably connected to at least the Z-axis automated motion control system and the X-Y axis automated motion control system and having a user interface that displays information about the automated implantation system and accepts commands from a user to control the process of inserting the needle assembly.

A method of operating an automated system for inserting a needle assembly in a patient as part of a medical procedure, the needle assembly comprising a needle coaxially located within a canula and the automated system comprising a needle automated motion control system that controls the needle, a canula automated motion control system that controls the canula and a force sensor operably connected to at least the needle and to the needle automated motion control system, the method comprising:

• (a) positioning the needle assembly along an insertion axis relative to the patient;
• (b) using the needle automated motion control system and the canula automated motion control system to repetitively advancing the needle a distance beyond the canula along the insertion axis and then advancing the canula that same distance until the canula is positioned at a desired depth;
• and
• (c) in the event that the force sensor senses the needle has encountered resistance above an expected force for piercing tissue when the needle automated motion control system advances the needle in step (b), using the needle automated motion control system to stops advancing the needle.