KR20180117362A - Apparatus and Method for Hyperthermia Treatment by using a current feedback - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for hyperthermia cancer treatment through conductive current feedback to optimize arrival of target temperature by using real-time feedback for a treatment state, not one way electromagnetic wave radiation. The apparatus for hyperthermia cancer treatment includes a high frequency radiation device (20) of an RF supply circuit applying high frequency RF power to an upper electrode (23) of the upper body of a patient by an RF generator (21) and an RF matcher (22), and connected to a generator and a matcher through facing electrodes (24) and a cable (25) positioned at the lower body of the patient. The present invention comprises: a main controller (10) controlling the generator (21); a display unit (60) connected to the main controller (10) to display various kinds of information; and a conductive current metering unit (30) metering conductive current on the cable (25) to apply a metered value of a high frequency conductive current output amount (Vout) to the main controller (10). The main controller (10) estimates an amount of electromagnetic wave used in a practical treatment by the metered value of the high frequency conductive current output amount (Vout) metered by the conductive current metering unit (30), and performs feedback control for power of the RF generator based on the metered value.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a device and a method for treating a hyperthermia cancer,

The present invention relates to a hyperthermia cancer treatment, and more particularly, to a hyperthermia cancer treatment apparatus and method for performing treatment under optimal conditions by feeding current measurement and skin temperature measurement and feedback.

In general, hyperthermia treatment is an indirect effect that causes the direct effect of protein denaturation of malignant cells at 42 ~ 43 ℃ and changes in pH, oxygen concentration, metabolic rate, gene / protein expression and blood flow in the microenvironment surrounding the tumor Through this, it is a way to treat cancer by inducing cell death.

Furthermore, the hyperthermia treatment apparatus (Hyperthermia) is a device for generating a hyperthermia effect by raising the temperature roll inside the human body by using a high frequency wave, and all the solid cancer except blood cancer is a target and weakens the cell membrane of cancer cells, It is also used as an adjunct therapy for the anticancer drug therapy because it has a synergistic effect. It can reduce the use of analgesic drugs by improving the pain caused by cancer, improve the quality of life of the patients, Vomiting, anorexia, weight loss, digestive problems) and complications (hair loss, arm and leg stiffness).

In general, in the case of end-stage lung cancer, there is a report of 2011 'SEER Cancer Center' in the United States that the survival rate after one year is twice as high as that in the case of hyperthermia treatment, compared with the case of general treatment. In 1996, 'CellControl Biomedical Laboratories' reported that the activity of tumor cells was reduced to 2 to 3 times or more after 14 hours in combination with chemotherapy and hyperthermia treatment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the basic principle of the hyperthermia therapy apparatus is that a patient is positioned between an upper electrode (Electrode / Applicator) and a counter electrode (lower electrode) .

In addition, high frequency RF (Radio Frequency, 13.56 MHz) is passed through the human body, and the body is heated. In particular, cancer is first treated by necrosis of cancer cells which are weak to heat.

The composition of Hyperthermia, The circuit configuration from the top to the bottom centering on the patient will be described in more detail as follows.

1) Top electrode (Electrode, Applicator): Where RF is emitted.

2) Water Bolus: Fills the space between the electrode and the body, and the coolant circulates to prevent skin burns.

3) Patients (skin - fat layer - internal tissue - Tumor tissue - fat layer - skin)

4) Water Bed: Fills the space between the lower electrode and the human body, and the cooling water is circulated so as to prevent skin burns (see the lower portion of FIG. 1).

5) Counter Electrode: A ground potential (0 V), and the radio wave emitted from the upper electrode consists of a closed circuit that returns to the generator, which is an RF source, through the lower electrode.

However, since the thermal cancer treatment apparatus of the first prior art as shown in FIG. 1 only empirically adjusts the magnitude of the high-frequency RF power, it is difficult to know exactly how much power is appropriate, It is not possible to confirm in real time whether or not it is suitable for the current condition due to the difference of

On the other hand, Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2015-0049678 (a control method of a multi-channel high-frequency intensity modulation thermal therapy apparatus) is known as a thermal therapy apparatus for applying a suitable temperature to a heating region of a patient.

3 to 5, the multi-channel high-frequency intensity modulation thermal therapy apparatus 1 according to the second prior art includes a main body 100, an electrode 200, an applicator 300 and an image acquisition device 400, . The main body 100 includes a control unit 110, an RF generator 120, an RF matcher 130, and an image processing unit 140.

That is, as a treatment for treating cancer in general, hyperthermia treatment, radiation therapy, and high-frequency hyperthermia treatment are used. First, the hyperthermia treatment is performed by applying heat to the tissue at a temperature of about 40 to 43 ° C to remove cancer cells In this case, depending on the temperature applied to the tissue, the rate of cell survival deceleration is accelerated or decelerated. When the temperature is lower than 42 ° C, the treatment is called low temperature treatment. The most difficult part of such a heat treatment is to supply heat so that the desired site becomes uniform temperature. It is very difficult to maintain a constant temperature as the treatment area is wider. Also, when the temperature of some treatment site is maintained at a low temperature, There is a problem in that it may cause severe damage to the normal tissues if it is sharply reduced or eliminated and maintained at a high temperature.

Oncothermia treatment, on the other hand, treats selectively cancerous cells (apoptosis) and necrosis (necrosis) by passing high frequency of 13.56㎒MHz at the cancerous site or metastatic site. Since it is difficult to transfer heat directly to the deep part in the conventional thermotherapy method, a method of allowing the tissue to generate heat by itself is devised and the high frequency is used for this purpose. When the current of 13.56 MHz is appropriately flowed, it is concluded that the treatment of high frequency thermal cancer is special for the cancer treatment from the fact that the normal cells or tissues reacting at 100 MHz have little thermal change and the heat rises only in the cancer tissue. And is used formally.

Oncothermia treatment of such high frequency cancer has relatively fewer side effects than conventional techniques, it can transmit heat to a deep place in the tissue, and it is reported that the effect of reducing the size of the cancer itself is great. In addition, the hyperthermia treatment is excellent for the pain relief of the terminal cancer patients, and when it is combined with the radiotherapy and the chemotherapy, the cancer treatment including cancer of the recurrent cancer is evaluated to have a synergistic effect. Recently, Rather than using either the treatment or the radiation therapy alone, a method of maximizing the therapeutic effect by combining radiation therapy with hyperthermia is of interest. This is because the simultaneous application of radiation and heat can not only provide a high therapeutic effect, but also reduce radiation dose, thereby preventing normal tissue damage due to overexposure to radiation. However, in order to realize this, many technical difficulties have to be solved, such as supplying heat so that the lesion becomes uniform temperature or minimizing radiation exposure of normal tissue.

In order to solve such a problem, the multichannel high-frequency intensity modulation thermal therapy apparatus according to the second prior art provides a new type of intensity-modulated thermal therapy technique capable of confirming a heating site using an image and combining a multi- It is characterized by overcoming the limitations of the existing hyperthermia treatment and realizing the synergistic effect of the two treatment methods. Thus, it is possible to solve the limitations of the existing hyperthermia treatment which is difficult to apply a uniform temperature to a wide area, and to treat more effectively while appropriately reducing the amount of radiation irradiated to the affected area. In this second prior art, it is important to determine the area of the cancer cell during the hyperthermia treatment, to minimize damage to the normal tissue while the cells are being heated, and to predict the change in input required to kill the tumor cells, The second conventional technique is to propose a method of combining a mathematical modeling and simulation and a rapid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for monitoring and predicting the temperature distribution and the dynamics of the lesion boundary, The conventional multi-channel high-frequency intensity modulation thermal therapy apparatus 1 includes a main body 100, an electrode 200, an applicator 300, and an image acquisition device 400.

The main body 100 includes a control unit 110, an RF generator 120, an RF matcher 130, and an image processing unit 140. The RF generator 120 is connected to the electrode 200 and the applicator 300 and generates a high frequency current by an external power source to supply the generated RF current to the electrode 200 and the applicator 300. The RF generator 120 generates a high frequency current under the control of the controller 110. The generated high frequency current is amplified by a high frequency amplifying unit and is applied to the electrode 200 and the applicator 300 . Here, the RF generator 120 according to the second conventional technique is configured to provide a high frequency current to various multi-channel electrodes 200 such as a 1-channel electrode, a 2-channel electrode, and a 4-channel electrode. This high frequency current is induced in the affected part (C) of the human body located between the charged electrode (200) and the applicator (300). Here, when a high-frequency current flows through the human body, a part where metabolism is active, that is, a part where ionized ion (sodium ion, calcium ion, etc.) is large, is excellent in electric conductivity and current flows intensively. For example, the high-frequency current flows along the extracellular fluid surrounding the cell membrane of each cancer cell having the ionized ion. At this time, the cancer cells are naturally destroyed and become necrotic when they reach a temperature of 38.5 ~ 42.0 degrees Celsius, unlike normal cells due to high frequency current.

That is, according to the second conventional technique, energy is concentrated on the affected part such as cancer tissue by the treatment using such high frequency, and cancer treatment can be automatically performed along the affected part tissue. Furthermore, the second conventional technique can increase the therapeutic effect even when the hyperthermia treatment is combined with the radiation therapy. In the case where the radiation therapy is difficult, the hyperthermia treatment effect can be seen only by the hyperthermia treatment. Thereby reducing the amount of analgesic used. Therefore, according to the second prior art, the RF generator 120 is designed to have a high power of 300 W, so that efficient energy control can be performed according to the characteristics of the human body and the location of the affected part such as the tumor. Accordingly, the multichannel high-frequency intensity modulation hyperthermia treatment apparatus 1 according to the second prior art can be used for treating all types of solid tumors excluding blood cancer, and can also be used for treatment of brain tumors without side effects such as edema .

In addition, the RF generator 120 according to the second conventional technique may have an automatic power control function following a temperature change in the body, and may further include a variable power supply restriction function As shown in FIG. In addition, the RF generator 120 may include an impedance measurement module. Further, the RF generator 120 may be interlocked to improve safety, and may be modularized for each component device for quick and easy maintenance. In addition, the RF generator 120 according to the second prior art has a pulse amplitude modulation device capable of varying a frequency and a duty ratio at a carrier frequency in order to maximize a selection ratio between a normal tissue and a cancer cell tissue in the body You may.

Meanwhile, the RF matcher 130 is also referred to as a matching box, and is an apparatus for stabilizing a plasma by adjusting impedance by using a capacitor. Here, the RF matcher 130 according to the second conventional technique may have an initial matching point setting function that is automatically selected according to individual patients. At this time, the RF matcher 130 may reduce the electric shock and discomfort of the patient If RF matching is not performed, it may further include a function of automatically limiting power supply. Further, it is possible to further include a function of displaying a figure and a numerical value on a Smith chart so that the electrical state of the RF power of the patient's body can be easily and schematically shown.

Meanwhile, the image processing unit 140 receives a patient image, for example, a CT image or an MRI image transmitted from the image acquisition apparatus 400, and processes the received image. In detail, the image processing unit 140 may analyze the body temperature of the heated region from the patient image and display the analyzed body temperature. Thus, by observing the heating region in real time using the patient image, it is possible to obtain an effect of stably maintaining a uniform temperature over a wide area for a desired time. As described above, the second prior art provides a method for combining a mathematical modeling and simulation and a rapid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for monitoring and predicting the temperature distribution and the dynamics of the lesion boundary, in order to confirm the heated region using the image.

The controller 110 controls the components and the overall system of the multichannel high-frequency intensity modulation heat therapy apparatus 1 according to the second prior art. That is, the controller 110 controls the high-frequency current supplied to the electrodes 200 and the applicator 300. In addition, the controller 110 controls the image processor 140 to analyze the body temperature of the heated region from the image of the patient transmitted from the image capturing apparatus 400, and display the analyzed body temperature. The main body 100 is connected to the control unit 110 and displays a state of operation of the multi-channel high-frequency intensity modulation heat therapy apparatus 1, a patient image and a treatment result, and a user interface unit 101), a memory unit (not shown) for storing information on the treatment, and the like.

The electrode 200 is connected to the RF generator 120 of the main body 100 and receives a high frequency current generated from the RF generator 120. Here, the multichannel high-frequency intensity modulation thermal therapy apparatus 1 according to the second prior art has a multi-channel electrode 200 for IMHT (Intensity Modulated Hyperthermia Treatment). That is, by developing a multi-channel electrode for IMHT, such as a 1-channel electrode for skin, shoulder, arm / leg, a 2-channel electrode for breast and chest, and a 4-channel electrode for head and pelvis, It is possible to apply various electrodes according to the treatment site. That is, the multi-channel electrodes of the size and shape optimized for each region are replaceable so that the therapeutic site can be modified depending on the tumor site and size, and a uniform temperature is applied to a wide region due to limitation of the electrode size and channel number It is possible to solve the conventional problems that have been difficult. Furthermore, it is possible to develop an improved electrode material as compared with the prior art, thereby achieving higher efficiency.

In addition, the applicator 300 is connected to the RF generator 120 of the main body 100 and is supplied with the RF current generated by the RF generator 120. That is, the high-frequency current is induced to the affected part C of the human body positioned between the charged electrode 200 and the applicator 300. The applicator 300 may be water-cooled for cooling. In addition, a patient-customized compensator for increasing adherence of the affected part may be applied, and may be provided in various shapes and sizes according to the body part of the patient. Further, although not shown in the drawing, the applicator 300 may further include an applicator fixing device (not shown) capable of fixing and bending the applicator 300.

Finally, the image acquisition device 400 takes a picture of the patient and transmits it to the image processing unit 140 of the main body 100. The image capturing apparatus 400 may be applied to general CT (Computed Tomography), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), or the like.

To describe the operation of the multichannel high frequency intensity modulation hypertherapy apparatus 1 according to the second prior art constructed as described above, the patient H lies on a treatment bed of the apparatus, and one channel, two channels Or 4-channel electrodes 200 are arranged on the other side, and the applicator 300 is arranged on the other side to start the treatment. At this time, a high frequency of 13.56 MHz passes through the tumor and generates heat. Therefore, cancer cells selectively induce tumor-sensitive temperature of 42 degrees Celsius only in cancer tissues using a non-invasive energy control method using a particularly sensitive 13.56 MHz high frequency to directly induce tumor necrosis or suicide, The immune system can be activated.

Therefore, the multichannel high frequency intensity modulation thermal therapy apparatus 1 according to the second prior art is effective for deep cancer deep within the body such as pancreatic cancer which is not solved by the conventional thermal therapy apparatus, A higher thermal effect (that is, a therapeutic effect) can be expected by emitting a high frequency from both sides. In addition, the second conventional technique can obtain the effect of maximizing the therapeutic effect by checking the internal temperature of the heating site and applying a uniform temperature to a wide area by using the multi-channel electrode.

5, a method of controlling a multi-channel high-frequency intensity modulation thermal therapy apparatus according to the second conventional technique will now be described with reference to FIG. (Step S110), calculating a high-frequency energy absorption amount from the input patient image (step S120), simulating the temperature in the body based on the calculated high-frequency energy absorption amount (step S130) And displaying the temperature (step S140). This will be described in more detail as follows.

First, an image of a patient, for example, a CT image or an MRI image transmitted from the image acquisition apparatus 400 is received and processed (step S110). At this time, the CT image and the MRI image can be fused. That is, it may include a step of segmenting the CT image and the MRI image, modeling the CT image and the MRI image, and then simulating and optimizing the modeled data and visualizing the same in 3D . Through this, the temperature distribution can be obtained by simulating the absorption and heat transfer of high frequencies in a nonhomogeneous medium such as the human body. In addition, it is possible to simulate the distribution of high frequencies according to the shape of the electrode, or to calculate and simulate an RF energy distribution. At this time, various conversion factors for estimating the temperature in the body from the high frequency energy can be set. These various simulations can be used to analyze the correlation between lesion size and RF energy absorption.

The heat generation mechanism due to the high frequency is as follows: i) the physical fever due to the genetic polarization; ii) the difference in the blood circulation characteristics of the tumor tissue; and iii) Due to the selective fever of cancer cells.

First, as shown in FIG. 2A, the dielectric polarization is a phenomenon in which when an electric field is applied to an insulator, a positive charge is increased on one side and a negative charge is increased on the other side, This polarization phenomenon occurs 13,560,000 times per second in accordance with a high frequency (13.56 MHz), and a heat due to the physical friction of the molecules occurs.

In addition, when heat is applied to the human body, as shown in FIG. 2B, the blood vessels of the normal tissue expand and blood flow is increased while the blood vessels of the tumor tissue are not enlarged. It rises quickly.

In addition, due to structural, physiological and electrical differences in tumor cells and healthy cells and biophysical differences between normal cells and tumor cells, selective exposure to electromagnetic waves causes selective heating of tumor cells compared with normal cells, Thus, tumor cells reach 42 to 43 degrees before normal cells, and tumor cells are destroyed.

However, in the first and second prior arts, it is impossible to measure electromagnetic waves effectively used for treatment among the outputted electromagnetic waves, and it is impossible to know the correlation between the RF power and the temperature of the affected part. Treatment modalities present difficulties in treating certain areas or multiple lesions.

Further, from the technical point of view, in the thermal cancer treatment apparatus, it is necessary to grasp in real time how much the electromagnetic wave has passed through the affected part after the high frequency is radiated, how the reflected electromagnetic wave is used to raise the temperature of the affected part, There was no way to estimate the result of the elevation, and it was only a primitive operating system in which the treatment output was controlled through the patient's feelings.

In addition, the existing high-frequency warming cancer treatment apparatus has only a steel type electrode, and there are difficulties in adhering to a bend-inflated body part. Thus, the effectiveness of the treatment is decreased, The lack of a variety of ways to indicate anomalies such as temperature control and the need for an automatic impedance matching system.

Furthermore, there was an inconvenience that the radiologist had to manually operate the machine whenever the output value and the treatment time were changed.

Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2015-0049678 (Control Method of Multi-Channel High-Frequency Intensity-Modulated Thermal Therapy Device)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to seek optimization not only by unilateral electromagnetic wave radiation but also by real- , Securing the safety of treatment using multiple safety devices, and ensuring ease of treatment through software improvement.

Furthermore, the present invention is based on the development of a real-time output control system using high frequency current measurement and body temperature feedback, development of a flexible electrode, and development of a safety system to secure absolute safety of a total integrated system , And (4) development of a user interface (S / W) that can set the output of the radio frequency treatment at a time, thereby improving the convenience of the medical staff and improving the effectiveness, And an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for treating a high-frequency warm cancer with improved convenience.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for treating a warm cancer through conduction current feedback, comprising: a RF generator (21) and an RF matcher (22) And a high frequency radiation device (20) of an RF supply circuit connected to the generator (23) and the generator (25) via a counter electrode (24) and a cable (25) A main controller 10 for controlling the generator 21; A display unit 60 connected to the main controller 10 and displaying various information; And a current measuring unit (30) for measuring a current flowing through the cable (25) and applying a measurement value of a high frequency current output (Vout) to the main controller (10); The main controller 10 estimates the amount of electromagnetic waves actually used for treatment based on the measurement value of the high frequency current output Vout from the current measurement unit 30, And the power of the generator is feedback-controlled.

Preferably, a skin temperature measurement system 50 using a temperature sensor 54 of an optical fiber 54a which is not affected by electromagnetic waves; Further comprising:

More preferably, a lookup table prepared for estimating the deep portion temperature through a plurality of measured values; Wherein the look-up table is configured to measure the transmitted energy obtained by multiplying the energizing current measured by the energizing current measuring unit (30) by the time (A x min) And estimating a temperature of a tumor in the human body using the skin temperature value measured by the skin temperature measuring unit.

Most preferably, the lookup table is a three-dimensional lookup table having the X and Y axes as the transmitted energy and the skin temperature value, respectively, and the depth in the skin as the Z axis.

The current measuring unit 30 may be electrically or electronically or magnetically connected to the signal cable 25 for signal returning from the counter electrode 24 to the generator 21 through the matching network. A current pick-up circuit (C, L) having a coupling element (L) coupled to the photocoupler (32) for electrical insulation between the current pickup circuit and the measurement circuit; And an output unit (33) for amplifying and outputting the measured value of the measuring circuit.

Also preferably, the system further includes an overheat protection safety system (40) including a water bed temperature measurement unit (42) for measuring the current bed temperature in the waterbed (41) on the floor of the patient, wherein the overheat protection safety system The main controller 10 controls the power or operation of the RF generator 21 so that a problem due to overheating that may occur may be detected by the main controller 10 So that it can be prevented in advance.

Preferably, the upper electrode 23 is one of a thermal electrode, a flexible electrode, or a combination electrode thereof. The counter electrode 24 may be any one of a thermal electrode, a plate electrode, and a flexible electrode. And one case.

The upper electrode 23 may be composed of only a thermal electrode or may be composed of only a flexible electrode and may be composed of a thermal electrode and a flexible electrode. And electrodes may be mixed with each other.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of treating a warm cancer with current feedback, the method comprising: (a) (S11) of measuring an energizing current by the unit 30; (b) calculating an input energy by multiplying the energizing current and the application time in the step (a) (S13); (c) referring to the look-up table (S15) with the calculated input energy and the skin temperature measurement value (S14) measured by the skin temperature measurement system (50), estimating the deep portion temperature (S16); (d) determining whether the core temperature estimated in the step (c) coincides with the target temperature (S17); And (e) returning first when it is determined as a result of the determination in step (d), and after returning the output of the generator if not (S18); And a control unit.

According to the apparatus and method for treating a warm cancer according to the present invention, it is possible to develop an algorithm for measurement of current flow, body temperature feedback and real-time output control algorithm, measure the amount of electromagnetic waves used in actual treatment by measurement of current flow, Through the use of a sensor to measure skin temperature, to create a lookup table that estimates the core temperature through the above measured values, and to develop an output control algorithm to reach the target temperature, 1) the output from the generator is effectively used 2) enables efficient measurement and optimization of the RF circuit according to the shape of the counter electrode, 3) enables the measurement of the optical fiber which is not affected by the electromagnetic field Real-time skin temperature measurement using a temperature measurement probe to prevent local overheating, 4) The algorithm can be applied to indicate whether the target temperature is reached by using the relational data lookup table of deep temperature. 5) It is advantageous to improve overall safety by pad back of all information.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining the basic principle of a hyperthermia therapy apparatus in general,
2A is a diagram for explaining a heat generation process due to dielectric polarization in a general warm cancer treatment apparatus,
FIG. 2B is a view for explaining heat generation characteristics due to blood circulation characteristics of a tumor tissue in a conventional warm cancer therapeutic apparatus,
FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a multichannel high-frequency intensity modulation thermal therapy apparatus according to a second prior art,
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a multichannel high-frequency intensity modulation thermal therapy apparatus of the second prior art of FIG. 3,
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a control method of the multichannel high-frequency intensity modulation thermal therapy apparatus of the second prior art of FIG.
FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram of a thermal cancer treatment apparatus through conduction current feedback according to the present invention,
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an apparatus for measuring current flow and body temperature feedback in a thermal cancer treatment apparatus through conduction current feedback according to the present invention,
Fig. 8 is a conceptual diagram of the energization current measuring circuit of Fig. 7,
FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram of the temperature sensing unit for body temperature feedback in FIG. 7,
FIG. 10 is a view for explaining the principle of temperature measurement using the optical fiber of FIG. 7,
11 is a look-up table for energy-temperature-surface depth for thermal cancer treatment through conduction current feedback of the present invention,
12 is a flowchart for explaining an output control algorithm as a method for treating a warm cancer through conduction current feedback according to the present invention,
FIG. 13 is a device configuration diagram for explaining a safety system in a warm cancer treatment state through conduction current feedback according to the present invention,
Fig. 14 shows modifications of examples of various electrodes in the thermal cancer therapeutic apparatus according to the present invention,
Fig. 15 shows modified examples of dual thermal therapy devices according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 15.

FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram of a thermal cancer therapeutic apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 7 is a device configuration diagram for energizing current measurement and body temperature feedback in a thermal cancer treatment apparatus through conduction current feedback according to the present invention, 7 is a circuit diagram of a temperature sensing unit for body temperature feedback in FIG. 7, FIG. 10 is a view for explaining the principle of temperature measurement using the optical fiber of FIG. 7, and FIG. 11 is a look-up table for energy-temperature-surface depth for the treatment of hyperthermia cancer through conduction current feedback of the present invention, and Fig. 12 is a view for explaining a method for treating hyperthermia cancer through conduction current feedback according to the present invention, FIG. 13 is a device configuration diagram for explaining a safety system in a warm cancer treatment policy through energization current feedback according to the present invention, and FIG. Represent the type of an example of a variety of heat from the electrode cancer therapy device, Figure 15 shows a modification of the double configuration to the cancer thermotherapy treatment device according to the present invention.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, You will know.

(Embodiment 1)

As shown in FIG. 6 (a), the apparatus for treating a warm cancer through conduction current feedback according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an electromotive force measuring unit for measuring a current passing through a patient's body, As shown in FIG. 6 (b), the appropriate cooling system is operated by measuring the water bed temperature of the patient to ensure safety. As shown in FIG. 6 (c) 6 (d), the upper electrode is made of a thermal electrode or a flexible electrode using a conductive cloth, and the counter electrode is made of a conductive cloth material And a lower electrode, thereby increasing the convenience and affinity of the patient.

Referring to Figs. 7 to 10, the RF generator 21 and the RF matcher 22 are used as an example of the optimum real-time output control by feedback of the energization current measurement and the skin temperature measurement. RF power of 13.56 MHz is applied to the upper electrode 23 of the patient and on the other hand to the RF circuit 23 which is connected to the generator and the adapter via the counter electrode 24 and the cable 25 located in the lower part of the patient lying in the waterbed, Frequency radiation device 20 of FIG.

In addition, the main controller 10 controls the generator 21, and various information is displayed on the display unit 60 connected to the main controller.

On the other hand, since the energization current measuring unit 30 measures the energizing current in the cable 25, the high frequency energizing current output amount Vout measured by the energizing current measuring unit 30 as shown in Fig. So that the amount of electromagnetic waves actually used for the treatment is estimated by measuring the electric current. Based on this, the main controller performs feedback control of the power of the RF generator.

Generally, an electric device handling a high frequency of several MHz or more can not be interpreted as a circuit theory, and it is possible to evaluate characteristics of a circuit by analyzing based on a transmission line theory. Since the frequency is a high frequency of 13.56 MHz, it is not possible to directly measure the voltage and the current flowing through the circuit. Therefore, the current flowing through the CET (Capacitive Electric Transmission) circuit can be measured using the coupling principle shown in FIG. .

That is, by using the circuit of FIG. 8 using the coupling principle, the amount of current passing through the human body can be measured in real time, and a current generated in the RF generator and passed through a matching network is transmitted to the coaxial cable It is possible to measure the amount of electric current passing through the human body except for the electromagnetic waves lost by various connectors and radiated into the space at the electrodes 23 and 24 and lost. It becomes possible to know the shortage and to adjust the output power accordingly.

The circuit of the current measuring unit 30 is roughly divided into a coupling unit which is wound around a signal return cable 25 returning from the counter electrode 24 to the generator 21 through a matching network (L), which is designed to have a detection characteristic optimized for a frequency of 13.56 MHz. Followed by a photocoupler 32 for electrical insulation between the current pick-up circuits C and L and the measuring circuit and an output unit 33 consisting of the amplifier A and its output circuit have.

8, the electromotive force induced in the current pickup circuit 31 composed of the inductor L, which is a coupling element, causes the lamp LP, which is the light emitting portion of the photocoupler 32, to emit light, And drives the optical sensor PD which is amplified by the amplifier A of the output unit 33 and outputs the high frequency current output amount Vout to the main controller 10. [ Reference character 'C' denotes a resonance capacitor for constituting a current pickup circuit as a resonance circuit together with 'L'.

9 and 10 illustrate a skin temperature measurement system using an optical fiber temperature sensor that is not affected by electromagnetic waves. As shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, when the temperature of the tumor tissue is heated to 42 to 43 degrees, It is very important to measure the exact temperature distribution of tissues so that normal cells can also be affected by high frequencies and the temperature can rise, and thus become the intended temperature.

However, there are two broad categories of methods for measuring the temperature of the affected part or the skin of the patient and using it. 'Oncotherm GmbH' (Germany), which accounts for more than 70% of the market share (estimated), and 'Celsius GmbH' (Germany), which occupies more than 20% (estimate), does not have a system to measure lesions or skin temperature. These two devices reduce the output if the patient feels hot during treatment, and increase the output if they can tolerate it.

On the other hand, the product of Yamamoto Vinta (Japan) uses a thermocouple to measure the temperature of the tumor by inserting a temperature sensor into the body of the affected part in an invasive manner, , Hemorrhage in cancer cells and skin tissue is inevitable, and accurate temperature measurement is impossible due to influence of high frequency current.

On the other hand, in order to prevent the above-described problems, there is a case where the high frequency is stopped during the operation time of the temperature sensor is used, which is a disadvantage of inefficiency of the treatment time.

In addition, heat treatment for the tissue of the integument such as skin cancer can observe the change of the temperature distribution due to heat diffusion in real time using a thermal infrared camera, but in the case of the thermal camera , The location of the camera to avoid disturbing the treatment, the resolution limit of the image, and the inaccuracy of the measurement temperature.

In the present invention, in order to overcome all the disadvantages, a skin temperature information feedback algorithm using an optical fiber sensor is applied. As shown in the temperature sensing circuit and the related system schematic diagram of FIG. 9, a RF generator 21 for generating electromagnetic waves, A matching network and an RF transmission line are provided with an optical axis cable 25. An RF system is finally formed by the upper electrode 23 and the counter electrode 24 and an optical fiber 54a And a computer system of a temperature sensor (fiber optic thermo sensor) 54, a controller main body 53 and an input / output device 52 receiving the temperature value, a measurement monitor 51 and a monitoring device 55 .

For reference, the controller body 53 generates an optical signal with an optical fiber sensor, converts the optical signal into an electrical signal, amplifies the optical signal, and transmits the measured data to the ICS I / O unit. The input / output device 52 issues a measurement command to the measurement equipment and acquires data by the measurement software. The monitoring unit 51 is an IO unit and an OTMS operating status monitor. The monitoring unit 55 monitors various kinds of monitoring by the monitoring, analysis, and diagnosis software, Monitoring is performed.

The optical fiber temperature sensor 54 has characteristics such as flexibility, no interference with electromagnetic waves, and remote transmission capability of signals. The principle of temperature measurement using the optical fiber will now be described. As shown in FIG. 10, When an infrared optical pulse is emitted to an optical fiber, the constituent material undergoes thermal lattice molecular motion, and the light of which the pulse waveform is deformed is received.

Now, with reference to Figs. 12 and 13, a method for treating a warm cancer through conduction current feedback will be described. First, a look-up table as shown in FIG. 13 for estimating the deep portion temperature is calculated through several measured values. The amount of current used for warming the tumor tissue through the human body and the skin temperature value are used to estimate the temperature of the internal body tumor A lookup table (LUT) is prepared in advance.

For reference, lookup tables are often used in computer science as data structures in arrays or associative arrays, often replacing run-time arithmetic with simpler array indexing. Saving processing time can be important because it is faster to fetch values from memory than through more computationally intensive computation or I / O functions. Tables can be pre-calculated and stored in a static program repository, or computed (pre-fetched) as part of the program initialization phase (memoization). A lookup table is commonly used to check that an input value is valid while matching a series of (correct or incorrect) value items in an array. In programming languages, a pointer function is included (or offset to a label) Can be processed.

In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 13, a three-dimensional LUT having the energy and the skin temperature as the X and Y axes respectively and the skin depth as the Z axis will be created. 13, the energy Joule of the X axis is obtained by multiplying the energization current by the time (A x min), and the skin temperature of the Y axis is the temperature measured from the optical fiber thermometer of Figs. This table can be used to estimate the core temperature.

Numerous phantom experiments are required to complete the LUT, and at least four optical fiber thermometers are essential for effective experimentation.

When the look-up table is completed, using the look-up table and the system of Fig. 6, the energization current, the skin temperature, and the deep tumor temperature estimated by the LUT are compared with the target temperature, Allows you to adjust the output as needed.

12, the energization current is first measured (S11), and the energy is calculated by multiplying the current based on the timer information S12 (S13 ).

Thereafter, referring to the lookup table with the calculated energy and the measured skin temperature measurement value S14 (S15), the skin temperature is estimated (S16).

Then, it is determined whether the estimated core temperature coincides with the target temperature (S17). If it is determined that the estimated core temperature coincides with the target temperature, the first return is made. Otherwise, after the output of the generator is adjusted (S18), the first return is made.

Thus, by adjusting the output of the generator by estimating the deep temperature in real time and feeding it back, more accurate and efficient warm cancer treatment is possible in real time.

On the other hand, it is more preferable to construct the overheat prevention safety system 40 as shown in FIG. 13 for a more secure system of the warm cancer treatment apparatus through the conduction current feedback of the present invention.

That is, in the matching network and the RF system consisting of the RF generator 21, the matcher 22 and the optical axis cable 25 as the RF transmission line and finally the upper electrode 23 and the counter electrode 24, A water bed temperature measuring part 42 for measuring the current bed temperature in the waterbed 41 is formed and the measured water bed temperature is sent to the main controller 10 and the remote controller 43 ) Signal, the main controller 10 controls the power or operation of the RF generator or drives the cooling unit 44 so as to prevent an image due to overheating, which may possibly occur.

(First Modification)

Now, with reference to FIG. 14, modifications of examples of various electrodes among the apparatus for treating a warm cancer through conduction current feedback according to the present invention will be described.

14A shows an example in which the upper electrode 23 is a thermal electrode and the counter electrode 24 is a plate electrode. FIG. 14B shows an example in which the upper electrode 23 is a thermal electrode, FIG. 14C shows an example in which the upper electrode 23a is a flexible electrode and the counter electrode 24b is a flexible electrode. FIG. 14C shows an example in which the counter electrode 24a is formed of a thermal electrode.

14 (d) shows a configuration in which the upper electrode is composed of a double layer of the thermal electrode 23 and the flexible electrode 23a, and the RF divider / selector 26 is provided at the end of connecting the RF supply cable, And the flexible electrode 23a are connected to each other and the counter electrode 24 is formed to be a wide plate electrode.

As a reference, the present inventor filed a patent application No. 10-2016-11974, entitled " a thermal therapy apparatus and a pad electrode used therein, " filed on January 29, 2016, Are also incorporated herein by reference.

Therefore, according to the first modification, various shapes of electrodes can be used in accordance with the geometric shape of each part of the patient to be treated, which is adaptable to the treatment of the affected part of the specific part.

(Second Modification)

Finally, with reference to FIG. 15, modified examples in which a hyperthermia treatment apparatus based on conduction current feedback according to the present invention is constructed in duplicate will be described.

15 shows a configuration in which the RF supply system is constructed in a duplex structure so that first and second matrices 21 and 22 and a thermal electrode 23 and a counter electrode 24 are formed as plate electrodes and the second generator 21 'and the second matters 22' and the flexible electrodes 23a as the second upper electrodes are formed in the second mapper network (Channel 2) A dual system is disclosed in which the plate electrode is shared as the electrode 24.

Therefore, according to the second modification, it is possible to use various shapes of electrodes according to the geometrical shape of each part of the patient to be treated, which is suitable for treatment of a specific site or multiple lesions, and at the same time, Or to supply RF having a different power depending on the depth of the cancerous site.

As described above, the embodiments of the present invention described above should not be construed as limiting the technical idea of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is limited only by the matters described in the claims, and those skilled in the art will be able to modify the technical idea of the present invention in various forms. Accordingly, such improvements and modifications will fall within the scope of the present invention as long as they are obvious to those skilled in the art.

10: main controller 20: high frequency radiator
21: generator 22: matcher
23: an upper electrode (Applicator) 24: a counter electrode (Counter Electrode)
25: Cable 26: RF divider / selector
30: energization current measurement part 31: current pickup circuit
32: photo coupler 33: output section
40: Safety system part 41: Water bed
42: Waterbed temperature measuring unit 43: Remote control
44: Cooling section
50: skin temperature measurement / monitoring part 51: skin temperature measurement monitor
52: input / output device 53: controller body
54: skin temperature measuring instrument 55: skin temperature monitoring unit
60:

Claims (9)

RF power of high frequency is applied to the upper electrode 23 of the patient by the RF generator 21 and the RF matcher 22 and is supplied to the generator and the counter electrode 24 via the counter electrode 24 and the cable 25, 1. A hyperthermia treatment device comprising a high frequency radiation device (20) of an RF supply circuit connected to a massager,
A main controller 10 for controlling the generator 21;
A display unit 60 connected to the main controller 10 and displaying various information; And
A current measuring unit 30 for measuring a current flowing through the cable 25 and applying a measured value of the high-frequency current output Vout to the main controller 10;
/ RTI >
The main controller 10 estimates the amount of electromagnetic waves actually used for treatment based on the measurement value of the high frequency current output amount Vout from the current measurement unit 30 and outputs the power of the RF generator Wherein the feedback control is performed based on the current feedback. The method according to claim 1,
A skin temperature measuring system (50) using a temperature sensor (54) of an optical fiber (54a) not affected by electromagnetic waves; Further comprising an electric current feedback circuit for applying a current to the heater. 3. The method of claim 2,
A lookup table created to estimate deep temperature through multiple measurements; , ≪ / RTI >
The look-up table is a table that stores the energy delivered by the product of the energizing current measured by the energizing current measuring unit 30 and the time (A x min), the skin temperature measured by the skin temperature measuring system 50 And estimating the temperature of the tumor in the human body using the value of the current value. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the look-up table is a three-dimensional look-up table in which the transmitted energy and the skin temperature value are X and Y axes, respectively, and the skin depth is a Z axis. Device. The method according to claim 1,
The energization current measuring unit (30)
And has a coupling element L electrically, electronically or magnetically coupled to the electric cable 25 for signal return which returns from the counter electrode 24 to the generator 21 through the matching network Current pick-up circuits C and L,
An opto-coupler (32) for electrical insulation between the current pick-up circuit and the measurement circuit,
An output unit 33 for amplifying and outputting the measurement value of the measurement circuit,
And a control unit for controlling the heating unit. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Further comprising an overheat protection safety system (40) including a water bed temperature measurement unit (42) for measuring the current bed temperature in the waterbed (41) placed on the floor of the patient,
The main controller 10 controls the power or operation of the RF generator 21 so as to prevent the occurrence of the overheat prevention safety system 40. [ Wherein the heating means is configured to prevent a problem due to overheating of the heating means. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The upper electrode 23 may be one of a thermal electrode, a flexible electrode, or a combination electrode thereof.
Wherein the counter electrode (24) is one of a thermal electrode, a plate electrode, and a flexible electrode. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The upper electrode 23 may be constituted only by a thermal electrode or may be constituted by only a flexible electrode or may be constituted by mixing a thermal electrode and a flexible electrode Wherein the apparatus further comprises: A method of treating a hyperthermia using the hyperthermia treatment apparatus according to claim 2,
(a) measuring an energizing current by the energizing current measuring unit (S11);
(b) calculating an input energy by multiplying the energizing current and the application time in the step (a) (S13);
(c) referring to the look-up table (S15) with the calculated input energy and the skin temperature measurement value (S14) measured by the skin temperature measurement system (50), estimating the deep portion temperature (S16);
(d) determining whether the core temperature estimated in the step (c) coincides with the target temperature (S17); And
(e) returning to the first state if it is determined as a result of the determination in step (d), otherwise returning to the first after adjusting the output of the generator (S18);
Wherein the method comprises the steps of:

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