US4960109A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multi-purpose temperature sensing probe for hyperthermia therapy
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
•
Filing: 1988-06-21
•
Granted: 1990-10-02
•
Expires: 2008-06-21
Abstract
Abstract A multi-function probe for use in hyperthermia therapy employs at least one pair of temperature sensors, which may be thermocouples or thermistors. One sensor of the pair includes an exposed electrode which directly measures tissue temperature. The other sensor includes an electrode covered by a material having a known ultrasound absorption coefficient, for measuring the local intensity of ultrasonic energy. By comparing these two measurements, an ultrasound or other hyperthermia energy absorption coefficient of the tissue in the target region can be determined. A plurality of these paired sensors can be utilized to yield a measurement of thermal diffusion. The probe can also include one or more piezoelectric receiver elements, for providing accurate source-to-target registration.
Inventors
- 👤 Padmakar P. Lele
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 03:26
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01H; G01H1/00; G01H1/12; G01H1/16; A; A61; A61N; A61N7/00; A61N7/02; G01K; G01K13/00; G01K13/20; G01N; G01N25/00; G01N25/18; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/08; A61B18/082; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00084; A61B2017/00092; A61B2017/00097; A61B2017/00101; A61B2017/00106; A61B90/00; A61B90/06; A61B2090/064; A61F; A61F7/00; A61F2007/0095
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A probe for use in a hyperthermia system, the probe comprising a probe body adapted for insertion into a target region of tissue within a subject during hyperthermic treatment, said probe body including a region of a selected standard material having a known energy absorption characteristic, and at least one pair of thermal sensors carried by the probe body and disposed in proximity to each other, the paired sensors comprising a first thermal sensor for measuring the temperature of the tissue and a second thermal sensor, disposed within said standard material, for measuring the temperature of said standard material, whereby measurements from said first and second sensors can be compared to derive an energy absorption characteristic of tissue within the target region.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
122 words
A probe for use in a hyperthermia system, the probe comprising a probe body adapted for insertion into a target region of tissue within a subject during hyperthermic treatment, said probe body including a region of a selected standard material having a known energy absorption characteristic, and at least one pair of thermal sensors carried by the probe body and disposed in proximity to each other, the paired sensors comprising a first thermal sensor for measuring the temperature of the tissue and a second thermal sensor, disposed within said standard material, for measuring the temperature of said standard material, whereby measurements from said first and second sensors can be compared to derive an energy absorption characteristic of tissue within the target region.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein the probe further comprises at least one additional thermal sensor carried by the probe body and disposed in a spaced apart relationship to said first tissue temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the tissue at another location and for deriving therefrom a measurement of thermal diffusion within the tissue.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The probe of claim 1 wherein the probe further comprises registration means for registering the location of the target region in relation to an ultrasonic source of hyperthermic treatment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The probe of claim 3 wherein the registration means further includes at least a first ultrasonic receiver for measuring the intensity of the ultrasonic energy during hyperthermic treatment.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for measuring ultrasonic energy absorption within a target region of a hyperthermia system, the method comprising the steps of adapting a probe body for insertion into a target region of tissue within a subject during hyperthermic treatment, providing in said probe body a region of a selected standard material having a known energy absorption characteristic, disposing at least one pair of thermal sensors on the probe body in proximity to each other, so that at least one of said thermal sensors is disposed in said standard material, a measuring with a first thermal sensor the temperature of the tissue, measuring with a second thermal sensor disposed in said standard material the temperature of said standard material, and comparing measurements from said first and second sensors to derive an energy absorption characteristic of tissue within the target region.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
139 words
A method for measuring ultrasonic energy absorption within a target region of a hyperthermia system, the method comprising the steps of adapting a probe body for insertion into a target region of tissue within a subject during hyperthermic treatment, providing in said probe body a region of a selected standard material having a known energy absorption characteristic, disposing at least one pair of thermal sensors on the probe body in proximity to each other, so that at least one of said thermal sensors is disposed in said standard material, a measuring with a first thermal sensor the temperature of the tissue, measuring with a second thermal sensor disposed in said standard material the temperature of said standard material, and comparing measurements from said first and second sensors to derive an energy absorption characteristic of tissue within the target region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of disposing at least one additional thermal sensor on the probe body in a spaced apart relationship to said first tissue temperature sensor, measuring the temperature of the tissue at another location, and deriving therefrom a measurement of thermal diffusion within the tissue.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the method further comprises the step of registering the location of the target region in relation to an ultrasonic source of hyperthermic treatment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the registering step includes the step of measuring the intensity of the ultrasonic energy during hyperthermic treatment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the method comprises the further step of correcting for errors in thermal measurement due to any of viscous heating and heat conduction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4228805A
Cited
US4311154A
Cited
US4350168A
Cited
US4397314A
Cited
US4646756A
Cited
US4658828A
Cited
US4620546A
Cited
US4638436A
Cited
US4681122A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-10-01 | 1994-04-02 | 1994-10-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-10-01 | 1998-04-02 | 1998-10-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-10-01 | 2002-04-02 | 2002-10-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |