Plastic brachytherapy sources
AssigneeInternational Brachytherapy s.a.
InventorsJohn L. Russell, Jr., John L. Carden, Jr., Roy Coniglione, Dominique Moyaux
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An implantable source (40) of therapeutic radiation for brachytherapy is provided as a sealed, biocompatible capsule (410) of plastic (e.g. polyethylene or PEEK) transparent to the radiation. The capsule contains a radiation source (400) comprising particles of a radioactive isotope (e.g. Pd103, I125, Cs131) in a fluid carrier that is resistant to radiation polymerization but solidifies at elevated temperature. It also has a marker (420), and desirably has a socket (430) which accommodates attaching spacers (660) and makes possible linear strands and planar arrays of the capsules. The spacers may be functional, e.g. heat-generating or medication-releasing.
Claims21
An implantable brachytherapy source for use in radiation treatment of an affected tissue region, said implantable brachytherapy source comprising a functional unit having one or more ball joints, and a biocompatible capsule having two ends, said biocompatible capsule having a socket at each end adapted to be affixed to a ball joint of said functional unit to form a linear strand or a planar array, wherein said biocompatible capsule is made of mechanically strong, biocompatible, plastic material that is transparent to therapeutic radiation, and wherein said biocompatible capsule contains therein a radioactive seed comprising:
- (a) an epoxy based fluid carrier that is resistant to radiation polymerization in its fluid phase, but can be induced to solidify by raising its temperature;
- (b) a marker visible by x-ray, ultrasound, or nuclear magnetic resonance imaging;
- and
- (c) a source of therapeutic radiation comprising a radioactive isotope selected from the group consisting of Pd-103, I-125, and Cs-131;
- wherein said radioactive isotope is substantially uniformly mixed in said fluid carrier.
A brachytherapy device for use in radiation treatment of an affected tissue region, the brachytherapy device comprising a functional unit having one or more ball joint elements, and a sealed hollow outside cylindrical capsule having two ends, said capsule comprising a biocompatible nonabsorbable polymeric matrix and having a socket at each end adapted to be affixed to a ball joint element of said functional unit to form a linear strand or a planar array and wherein said hollow outside cylindrical capsule surrounds an inside cylindrical solid radioactive seed comprising a marker and a source of therapeutic radiation uniformly mixed with and dispersed throughout an epoxy based fluid carrier.
A method of making a solid plastic radioactive seed comprising the steps of:
- (a) mixing a source of therapeutic radiation dispersed in an epoxy based fluid carrier, with a marker and a biocompatible nonabsorbable polymeric matrix to form a fluid homogenous radioactive mixture;
- (b) injecting said fluid homogenous radioactive mixture through an ink-jet head into a biocompatible capsule;
- and
- (c) heating said biocompatible capsule to cure the fluid homogenous radioactive mixture to form said solid plastic radioactive seed;
- wherein said source of therapeutic radiation comprises a radioactive isotope selected from the group consisting of Pd-103, I-125, and Cs-131, wherein said biocompatible capsule is made of mechanically strong, biocompatible, plastic material that is transparent to therapeutic radiation, and wherein said biocompatible capsule has a socket at each end adapted to be affixed to one or more ball joints of a functional unit adapted to being assembled to form a linear strand or a planar array comprising a multiplicity of said biocompatible capsule and said functional unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.