Catheter assembly incorporating radiation shielding and related method of use
US6464626B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 15, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 30, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61N2005/1003
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A radioactive catheter system, including a plurality of medical catheter assemblies, to irradiate patient's bodies having a variety of treatment requirements, configured to eliminate the need to maintain a selection of radiation source wires. The catheter assemblies each include a catheter that defines a lumen configured to receive a radiation source wire from an afterloader. Each catheter assembly includes at least one radiation shield configured and located to form a treatment region, so as to shield a portion of the radiation source from irradiating a patient's body. The radiation shield surrounds the lumen circumferentially over a first and second longitudinal portion of the catheter, forming a treatment window configured to only allow portions of the positioned radiation source longitudinally within the treatment window to primarily irradiate portions of the body. The radiation shield may comprise coils of radiation shielding material, or adjacent rings of radiation shielding material. The catheter assembly may include radial centering devices adjacent the radiation shield. The plurality of catheter assemblies include a plurality of different treatment regions to accommodate a…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.