DK170501B1 - System for irradiation of certain cancers with broad-spectrum radiation through optical fibers and optical probes for use in the system - Google Patents

Description

Λ DK 170501 B1

The invention relates to a system for irradiating cancerous tissue with broad-spectrum IR / and UV radiation, without irradiating healthy cellular tissue. The radiation takes place through optical fibers that are introduced into or in the immediate vicinity of the cancerous cell tissue by optical probes / needles. The invention further relates to optical probes for use in the system.

The use of radiation techniques to influence living tissue with hyperthermia for controlled heating (40 ° -45 °) is a relatively new technique, but has been shown to sensitize the effect of traditional ionizing radiation therapy.

However, there have been major problems in heating only the cancerous area and not the surrounding healthy cell tissue. There are therefore many methods of transmitting hyperthermia, for example: R.F. radio waves, microwaves, magnetic effects, ultrasound and hot water technology, see e.g. Tor Vergata Monograph Series Vol4 1993 Hyperthermia and E.S.H.O. June 20 1993, Brussels Book of Abstracts.

The wastewater system is dependent on the conductivity of the heat transfer and has almost no depth effect.

The other methods are all necessarily complicated in design and use and require complex needles that are sensitive to small changes in parameters, as well as to load impedance effect.

From the U.S. U.S. Patent No. 5,151,096, U.S. U.S. Patent No. 30,050,597 and D.D. Patent No. 296,616 discloses DK 170501 B1 systems using a laser as a radiation source.

Laser systems operate at single wavelengths and require complicated sources, control, and sometimes water cooling of needles, for example, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,597., 5 to control the energy involved, to ensure temperature uniformity in the area and to counteract * secondary heat effects from the feed.

As complex needles as such systems require, 10 are difficult both to manufacture and to introduce p.g.a. their size and shape, while direct laser irradiation of an area causes unwanted hyperthermic side effects from the affected tissue transmitted to the surrounding healthy tissue, which can be degraded during the process.

The above-mentioned drawbacks are avoided by a system according to the invention, which is peculiar to that of the characterizing part of claim 1, and by probes according to the invention which are peculiar to that of the characterizing part of claim 2.

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The system according to the invention described below is fundamentally different from those mentioned above in that it is relatively simple in design, manufacture and use.

25 It works with broadband infrared energy in the range * 700 -10.000 nm and / or ultraviolet radiation in the range 100 - 400 nm transmitted from the radiation source to the treatment area via optical fibers introduced directly into or through optical probes / needles. in the immediate vicinity of the cancerous tissue.

The probes are easy to insert due to their modest size and simple shape. The probes do not require any kind of cooling.

DK 170501 B1

The probes are designed with both symmetrical and asymmetric radiation fields, taking into account their longitudinal axis which allows irradiation of the area with reduced or completely eliminated risk of unwanted irradiation of adjacent tissue.

10 The temperature rise in the area is rapid and uniform with good penetration depth and is achieved only by radiation and is not affected by any kind of conductance.

In the design of the probe there is also built-in access to transmit 15 hyperthermia by infrared energy from one source with the option of simultaneously irradiating the area of ultraviolet energy within 100 - 400 nm as extra treatment supplied from a separate source but in the same probe.

The UV radiation in the aforementioned wavelengths acts in combination with the IR radiation degrading on the cellular tissue in the radiation area. Furthermore, the UV radiation is potentiating by simultaneous treatment with chemotherapy using light-activated cell-killing agents.

25 In addition to the fibers for the IR / UV radiation, the probes also incorporate light-conducting and imaging fibers, so that the probes can be placed correctly via the camera on the connected monitor.

The course of treatment can be constantly monitored and monitored via monitor.

In addition, communication fibers are connected to the control unit for control purposes in the probes.

Through these fibers, a constant temperature in the treatment area is read and controlled while controlling the amount of radiation 5.

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With reference to the drawing, the invention is explained in more detail below, where Fig. 1 shows a block diagram of a system according to the invention, and Fig. 2 shows various embodiments of the probe according to the invention.

From a radiation module (1) containing light sources with parabolas and optics, broad-spectrum IR radiation is emitted in a range from 700 - 10000 nm.

The rays are transported from one or more outlets (6) via connectors (8) through optical fibers (11) suitable for IR transmission.

From a radiation module (2) containing filaments / arcs 20 with parabolas and quartz optics, broad-spectrum UV radiation is emitted in a range of 100 - 400 nm.

The rays are conveyed from one or more outlets (4) via connector (9) through optical fibers (10) suitable for I * for UV transmission.

25 s

The optical fiber bundles (10 and 11), in the distribution piece (12), together with image / light and communication fibers (15 and 16) (for control purposes) are mixed into small bundles and distributed into smaller branches which are inserted into optical probes (13 ).

DK 170501 B1

The ends of the probes with the inserted fibers (13) are abraded and polished at certain angles for the rays to be emitted in predetermined directions. (Fig. 2) The amount of radiation for IR radiation and UV radiation, respectively, is controlled by the control unit (18) connected. with computer (21).

Imaging fibers (15) and communication fibers (16) are inserted through the distributor (12) into the optical probes (13) together with the radiation conducting fibers (10 and 11).

Via the imaging fibers (15), one can monitor the process of the monitor (17) by means of the camera (19) 15 Through the communication fibers (16), the control unit (18) of the printer (22) and the monitor (23) can be used at all times. read the amount of radiation emitted at the treatment site and record the temperature of the treated area.

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Claims (3)

6 DK 170501 B1 A system for irradiating cancerous tissue, comprising radiation sources (1,2) which emit radiation to the tissue through optical fibers embedded in optical probes (13) introduced into the tissue characterized in that * 5 the radiation sources (1,2) emit wide-spectrum infrared radiation (IR) in the range 700 - 10,000 nm and / or broad spectrum ultraviolet (UV) in the range 100 - 400 nm. 10 Optical probe for a system according to claim 1, containing bundles of optical fibers, and the radiation emanating from the tip of the optical fibers, characterized in that at the distal end of the probe (13) the fiber bundle is truncated at an inclined angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the probe. that at the distal end of the probe (13) the fiber bundle is tapered rotationally symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the probe. Probe according to claim 2, characterized in that it further contains fibers (16) for communication and control purposes as well as light-conducting and imaging fibers (15). i. 4