Radiation measuring catheter apparatus and method
US5811814A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 12, 1996 |
| Grant date | Sep 22, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 12, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B6/4258
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus for measuring radiation at a region of interest inside a body is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a fiber optic equipped-catheter having a distal portion adapted to be inserted in a blood vessel. The apparatus further includes a luminescent scintillation material coupled to the fiber optic light pipe. The scintillation material is disposed in a distal portion of a lumen of the catheter and generates pulses of electromagnetic radiation in response to excitation by radiation rays. The apparatus further includes an index matching material disposed between the scintillation crystal and the fiber optic light pipe facilitating transmission of the pulses of electromagnetic radiation produced by the scintillation material to the fiber optic light pipe. A measuring assembly is coupled to the fiber optic light pipe to convert the pulses of radiation traversing the fiber optic light pipe to a measure of radiation in the region of interest. A method of measuring radiation using the radiation measuring apparatus of the present invention is also disclosed. The steps of the method comprise: providing a catheter having a fiber optic light pipe coupled to a scintillation material sup…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.