Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for and methods of controlling injection needle for brachytherapy

US6572526B1 · kind B1 · utility

16Cited by
4References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 9, 2000
Grant dateJun 3, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 30, 2021

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N2005/1011
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Brachytherapy is carried out with an injection device with a needle to inject a radioactive seed into a patient's body. The injection device has not only a thruster for thrusting the needle straight to a selected target position inside the patient's body, but also a load cell which measures the resistance force encountering the needle and a deflection detector which detects a bent condition of the needle, as well as a drill device and a tamper for causing the needle to undergo rotary and linear reciprocating motions. The mode of thrusting the needle and the motions by the drill device and the tamper are modified according to the force detected by the load cell and any output signal from the deflection detector such that it can be ensured that the needle will dependably reach the target position without undergoing deflection or bowing.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.