Targeted biopsy delivery system

Abstract

This invention relates generally to the targeting and biopsy of tissue for medical purposes, and more particularly to a targeted biopsy system which allows planning of tissue to be sampled, targeting of specific areas of tissue in reference to the plan, capturing the tissue sample and recording the source location of the tissue sample, particularly for use in collecting tissue samples from the prostate gland. A further purpose of this invention is to provide a targeted treatment system which allows planning of tissue to be treated, targeting of specific areas of tissue in reference to the plan, and delivering the treatment to the targeted tissue.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This nonprovisional patent application claims priority to the provisional patent application having Ser. No. 60 / 494,910, which was filed on Aug. 13, 2003.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Prostate health is a significant concern for men over the age of fifty. If prostate cancer is suspected from either a physical examination or because of a Prostate Specific Antigens test, a biopsy is performed to collect tissue samples from the prostate for evaluation by a pathologist. Prostate tumors are small growths scattered about the prostate. For this reason, a physician will take multiple tissue samples from different areas of the prostate, typically between 9 and 18 samples. [0003] The normal procedure for obtaining biopsy samples with ultrasound guidance is called Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS) Guided Prostate Biopsy. An end-fire ultrasound probe is used, which generates a pie-shaped image plane. Some end-fire probes are manufactured with a bio...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] It is the principal object of this invention to provide a device and method for precisely planning, undertaking and recording a multi-sample biopsy of a targeted tissue mass such as a prostate, improving physicians' ability to diagnose cancer.

[0012] Another object of the invention is to allow a physician to adjust the biopsy needle guide to allow the physician to precisely insert the needle into the tissue at the planned location.

[0015] A further object of the invention is to allow the transrectal ultrasound probe to remain stationary while the biopsy samples are gathered from different areas of the prostate, thereby improving the accuracy of the procedure.

[0017] A further object of the invention is to provide a needle set guide which can redirect the needle set such that the needle set can be curved while still maintaining the freedom of movement to allow the firing and collecting of tissue samples.

[0021] Another object of an alternative embodiment of the invention is to allow a physician to precisely insert a needle or treatment delivery means into the tissue at the planned location.

Problems solved by technology

Because the probe must be physically moved about within the rectum by hand to identify and target the different areas of the prostate, it is difficult for physicians to precisely targeted biopsy sample locations, often causing the need for additional samples to be taken.

Further, if a sample seems to confirm cancer, it is difficult for the physician to accurately know where in the prostate the sample was taken from, and so difficult to re-biopsy the same tissue location to confirm the cancer.

However, all of these inventions suffer from a number of disadvantages.

All require specialized equipment, and do not make use of existing ultrasound systems and technology.

All require the movement of the imaging device, making it more difficult to plan and target areas of the prostate for biopsy.

Further, the flexible biopsy needles called out either require heating or additional force to cause them to fire, and are impractical for use with established prostate biopsy procedures and existing biopsy needle set firing devices.

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