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Method for treating brain tumors    

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United States Patent5528652   
Link to this pagehttp://www.wikipatents.com/5528652.html
Inventor(s)Smith; Donald O. (Lexington, MA); Dinsmore; Mark T. (Sudbury, MA)
AbstractA method of treating brain tumors in a patient, comprising the steps of: identifying and locating a brain tumor in vivo; implanting at least a portion of an adjustable x-ray source in the patient proximate to the tumor, where the x-ray source generates an electron beam along a path on or slightly offset from a central axis to an x-ray emitting target element; and controlling the x-ray source to generate an x-ray pattern to selectively irradiate the tumor. Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for detecting certain x-ray photons generated by the x-ray source and propagating back on a path which is along or slightly off-set from the central axis of the implanted radiation source.
   














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Drawing from US Patent 5528652
Method for treating brain tumors - US Patent 5528652 Drawing
Method for treating brain tumors
Inventor     Smith; Donald O. (Lexington, MA); Dinsmore; Mark T. (Sudbury, MA)
Owner/Assignee     Photoelectron Corporation (Waltham, MA)
Patent assignment
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Company News
Publication Date     June 18, 1996
Application Number     08/284,841
PAIR File History     Application Data   Transaction History
Image File Wrapper   Patent Term   Fees
Litigation
Filing Date     August 5, 1994
US Classification     378/65 378/64 378/108 378/116 600/427
Int'l Classification     G21K 005/00
Examiner     Porta; David P.
Assistant Examiner     Wong; Don
Attorney/Law Firm     Lappin & Kusmer
Address
Parent Case     REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/184,021, U.S. Pat. No. 05,442,678 entitled X-RAY SOURCE WITH IMPROVED BEAM STEERING, filed Jan. 21, 1994, and of commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 08/104,338, U.S. Pat. 5,452,720 entitled METHOD FOR TREATING BRAIN TUMORS, filed Aug. 9, 1993, both of which are continuations-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/955,494, U.S. Pat. No. 05,369,679 entitled LOW POWER X-RAY SOURCE WITH IMPLANTABLE PROBE FOR TREATMENT OF BRAIN TUMORS, filed Oct. 2, 1992, assigned to the assignee of the present application, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/577,883, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,900, entitled "Miniaturized Low Power X-Ray Source," filed Sep. 5, 1990, assigned to the assignee of the present application.
Priority Data    
USPTO Field of Search     378/62 378/64 378/65 378/145 378/119 378/121 378/137 378/138 378/110 378/112 378/116 378/108 128/653.1
Patent Tags     treating brain tumors
   
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What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating brain minors in patient, comprising the steps of:

A. identifying and locating a brain tumor in vivo;

B. implanting at least a portion of a selectively operative x-ray source in said patient proximate to said tumor, said x-ray source including:

i. a housing enclosing a beam generation means for generating an electron beam along a beam path;

ii. an elongated tubular probe extending along a central axis from said housing and about said beam path, said beam path being along or slightly off-set from said central axis;

iii. a target assembly including a target element and said means for coupling said target assembly to the end of said probe distal from said housing whereby said target element is positioned along said beam path, wherein said target element is responsive to electrons incident thereon to emit x-rays photons; and

C. controlling the operation of said x-ray source to selectively irradiate said tumor, wherein said controlling step includes the substeps of:

i. providing at least one x-ray photon detector affixed to said housing,

ii. positioning said x-ray photon detector whereby said detector is responsive to x-ray photons propagating from said target element along or slightly off-set from said central axis to generate an x-ray photon signal representative of the incidence of an x-ray photon thereon, and

iii. counting said x-ray photon signals and terminating the operation of said x-ray source when the number of counted x-ray photon signals matches a predetermined value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the x-ray photon detector is a scintillation detector located in said housing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the x-ray photon detector is a scintillation detector located outside of said housing.

4. A selectively operative x-ray source comprising,

A. a housing enclosing a beam generation means for generating an electron beam along a beam path;

B. an elongated tubular implantable probe extending along a central axis from said housing and about said beam path, said beam path being along or slightly off-set from said central axis;

C. a target assembly including a target element and means for coupling said target assembly to the end of said probe distal from said housing whereby said target element is positioned along said beam path, wherein target element is responsive to electrons incident thereon to emit x-ray photons; and

D. a radiation detection assembly affixed to said housing and positioned whereby said detection assembly is responsive to x-ray photons propagating from said target element along or slightly off-set from said central axis, to generate x-ray photon signals representative of the incidence of an x-ray photon signals thereon;

E. a counter means for counting said x-ray photon signals and terminating the operation of said x-ray source when the number of counted x-ray photon signals matches a predetermined value.

5. The x-ray source according to claim 4, wherein said radiation detection assembly is located in said housing.

6. The x-ray source according to claim 4, wherein said radiation detection assembly is located outside of said housing.
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BACKGROUND OF DISCLOSURE

The present invention relates to methods of treating brain tumors, particularly using a low power, programmable x-ray source for use in delivering low-levels of substantially constant or intermittent x-rays to a specified region.

Conventional medical x-ray sources are large, fixed position machines. Generally, the head of the x-ray tube is placed in one room and the control console in an adjoining area, with a protective wall, equipped with a viewing window, separating the two. The x-ray tube typically is approximately 20 to 35 centimeters (cm) long, and approximately 15 cm in diameter. A high voltage power supply is housed within a container located in a corner of the room containing the x-ray tube. Patients are brought to the machine for diagnostic, therapeutic, or palliative treatment.

Diagnostic x-ray machines are typically operated at voltages below 150 kilovolts (kV), and at currents from approximately 25 to 1200 milliamps (mA). By contrast, the currents in therapeutic units typically do not exceed 20 mA at voltages which may range above 150 kV. When an x-ray machine is operated at nominal voltages of 10 to 140 kV, the emitted x-rays provide limited penetration of tissue, and are thus useful in treating skin lesions. At higher voltages (approximately 250 kV), deep x-ray penetration is achieved, which is useful in the treatment of major body tumors. Super voltage machines, operable in the 4 to 8 megavolt (MV) region, are used to ablate or destroy all types of tumors, except superficial skin lesions.

A conventional x-ray tube includes an anode, grid, and cathode assembly. The cathode assembly generates an electron beam which is directed to a target, by an electric field established by the anode and grid. The target in turn emits x-ray radiation in response to the incident electron beam. The radiation absorbed by a patient generally is that which is transmitted from the target in the x-ray tube through a window in the tube, taking into account transmission losses. This window typically is a thin section of beryllium, or other suitable material. In a typical x-ray machine, the cathode assembly consists of a thoriated tungsten coil approximately 2 mm in diameter and 1 to 2 cm in length which, when resistively heated with a current of 4 amps (A) or higher, thermionically emits electrons. This coil is surrounded by a metal focusing cup which concentrates the beam of electrons to a small spot on an opposing anode which also functions as the target. In models having a grid, it is the grid which both controls the path of the electron beam and focuses the beam.

The transmission of an electron beam from cathode to anode is influenced by electron space charge forces which tend to become significant in conventional x-ray machines at currents exceeding 1 A. In such conventional machines, the beam is focused on the anode to a spot diameter ranging anywhere from 0.3 to 2.5 millimeters (mm). In many applications, most of the energy from the electron beam is converted into heat at the anode. To accommodate such heating, high power medical x-ray sources often utilize liquid cooling and a rapidly rotating anode, thereby establishing an increased effective target area, permitting a small focal spot while minimizing the effects of localized heating. To achieve good thermal conductivity and effective heat dissipation, the anode typically is fabricated from copper. In addition, the area of the anode onto which an electron beam is incident requires a material of high atomic number for efficient x-ray generation. To meet the requirements of thermal conductivity, effective heat dissipation, and efficient x-ray generation, a tungsten alloy typically is embedded in the copper.

In use, the total exposure from an x-ray source is directly proportional to the time in