Cancer treating system based on a real-time tissue impedance measurement

Abstract

A system to treat a cancer in a target tissue comprise a power supply, a plurality of electrodes, an excitation system, a tissue impedance measurement system, and a control module. The system detects the cancer in the target tissue according to a real-time target tissue impedance measurement. An applicator is utilized to arrange a distance of the electrodes. The system can detect the cancer in a depth up to 10 cm even in bone tissue due by applying the electrodes. Also, the system can decrease the pain as well as the burns in the tissue target due to applying a high frequency and low electric field intensity for treating the cancer.

Description

Cancer Treating System Based on A Real-time Tissue Impedance Measurement

[0001] The present disclosure is related to a system to treat a cancer in a target tissue with a high frequency and low electric field intensity such that the system detects real-time cancer according to a target tissue impedance measurement and a method thereof for using the disclosed system.

[0002] Electrochemotherapy is a new method in the treatment of superficial and solid tumors, which combines electric pulses and chemotherapy drugs to facilitate the penetration of these drugs into the cell by breaking the cell membrane. Also, in this method, the destruction of blood vessels increases the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs.

[0003] Electrochemotherapy, due to the high local concentration of the chemotherapy drug in the tumor, causes a greater effect of the drug. Since the injection of a small amount of chemotherapy drug is done only in the treated area, the side effects are also reduced. In addition to these advantages, this method has disadvantages such as causing burns, pain and only treating accessible tumors.

[0004] The two main factors that lead to these disadvantages are a high electric field intensity and a low frequency used in this method. By inducing electrical pulses, the nerve fibers adjacent to the electrodes are stimulated and these stimulations are transmitted as action potentials along the nerve fiber to reach the nerve-muscle junction and cause muscle contraction. After the first pulse, the axon membrane of the nerve is not stimulated during the time interval of the unresponsive period. Therefore, by increasing the frequency and decreasing the interval between two pulses, the number of contractions can be reduced. Also, the burns and wounds caused in the treatment areas are due to the use of the high electric field intensity, which leads to damage to the surfaces adjacent to the electrodes.

[0005] Therefore, a system and a method thereof are developed to reduce the pain as well as the burns in the treatment areas and can treat a tissue at a certain depth up to 10 cm even in a bone.

[0006] This summary is intended to provide an overview of the subject matter of this patent, and is not intended to identify essential elements or key elements of the subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to determine the scope of the claimed implementations. The proper scope of this patent may be ascertained from the claims set forth below in view of the detailed description below and the drawings.

[0007] In a general aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an exemplary system to treat a cancer in a target tissue. The exemplary system may comprise a power supply, a plurality of electrodes, an excitation system, a tissue impedance measurement system, and a controller module such that the system may detect real-time cancer according to a target tissue impedance measurement and may treat the cancer in a low electric field intensity and a high frequency. The power supply may configure to convert a first voltage to a desired voltage and the plurality of electrodes may configure to induce the desired voltage to the target tissue. Furthermore, the excitation system may configure to transmit the desired voltage to the plurality of electrodes and the controller module may configure to supply a power to the system and creating a signal platform for the for the power supply, the excitation system, the tissue impedance measurement system, and the plurality of electrodes.

[0008] The above general aspect may have one or more of the following features. In an exemplary implementation, the system may further comprise an applicator that may configure to arrange the plurality of the electrodes in a desired distance from each other. In an exemplary implementation, the applicator may arrange the plurality of electrodes in at least three arrays. In an exemplary implementation, e applicator may arrange the plurality of electrodes in a five arrays or a six arrays. In an exemplary implementation, the plurality of electrodes may detect the target tissue in a depth up to 10 cm. in an exemplary implementation, the power supply may be an isolated power supply. In an exemplary implementation, the first voltage is of 24 volts. In an exemplary implementation, the desired voltage is in a range of 50 volts to 100 volts. In an exemplary implementation, the plurality of electrodes further configure to evaluate a tissue impedance and detect the target tissue having the cancer. In an exemplary implementation, the low electric field intensity may be less than 100 v / cm, particularly in a range of 70 v / cm to 100v / cm. In an exemplary implementation, the high frequency may be a frequency of 5 KHz.

[0009] In another general aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an exemplary method for treating a cancer in a target tissue using an exemplary system disclosed in the present disclosure. The exemplary method may comprise at least seven steps of i) placing the plurality of electrodes in a target tissue place of a patient, ii) evaluating an impedance of the target tissue using the plurality of the electrodes and the tissue impedance measurement system, iii) sending the measured impedance to the controller module, iv) sending a command to the power supply to convert the first voltage to the desired voltage, if the target tissue illustrates an impedance according to a cancer, v) showing an alert to a user to change a position of the plurality of electrodes, if the target tissue illustrates an impedance according to a healthy tissue and performing steps (i) to (iii) for the changed position, vi)transmitting the desired voltage to the plurality of the electrodes, if step (iv) confirmed, and vii)treating the cancer by inducing the desired voltage to the target tissue.

[0010] The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accordance with the present teachings, by way of example only, not by way of limitation. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.Fig.1

[0011] illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system treat a cancer in a target tissue, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments.Fig.2

[0012] illustrates an exemplary schematic view of a first controller module power supply circuit to provide a first power to a controller module, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments.Fig.3

[0013] illustrates an exemplary schematic view of a second controller module power supply circuit to provide a second power to a microcontroller of a controller module, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments.Fig.4

[0014] illustrates an exemplary schematic view of a controller module processor, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments.Fig.5

[0015] illustrates an exemplary schematic view of a power supply to convert a first voltage to a desired voltage, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments.Fig.6

[0016] illustrates an exemplary schematic view of an excitation system to transmit a desired voltage to a plurality of electrodes, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments.Fig.7

[0017] illustrates an exemplary schematic view of an exemplary small resistance in a source part of an output switch of an impedance measurement system, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments.Fig.8

[0018] illustrates an exemplary schematic view of an applicator to arrange a plurality of electrodes in a desired distance from each other, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments.Fig.9

[0019] illustrates an exemplary flowchart of a method for treating a cancer in a target tissue utilizing a system, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments.

[0020] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent that the present teachings may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and / or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present disclosure is defined only by the appended claims.

[0021] The following detailed description is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the methods and apparatuses disclosed in exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. For purposes of explanation, specific nomenclature is set forth provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that these specific details are not required to practice the disclosed exemplary embodiments. Descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments are provided only as representative examples. Various modifications to the exemplary implementations will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other implementations and applications without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the implementations shown, but is to be accorded the widest possible scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, a system to treat a cancer is disclosed such that a system may use an impedance measurement method of a target tissue of a mammal at a beginning and end of the treatment in order to determine an applied voltage.

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment, a system may detect a cancer according to a real-time target tissue impedance measurement and treat the cancer in a low electric field intensity and a low frequency.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, the term “cancer” may refer to a group of disease involving an abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body or even do not spread.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the term “target tissue” may refer to a tissue that illustrates an abnormal cell growth. In one or more exemplary embodiment, the target tissue can be any tissue of a mammal. In an exemplary embodiment, the “term mammal” may refer to a human. In one or more exemplary embodiments, the term “human” may refer to a female and / or a male.

[0026] illustrates an exemplary block diagram of a system to treat a cancer in a target tissue, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments. In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in, the system100may comprise a tissue impedance measurement system102, a plurality of electrodes104, a power supply106, an excitation system108, and a controller module 110 such that the power supply106may configure to convert a first voltage to a desired voltage and the plurality of electrodes104may configure to induce the desired voltage to the target tissue. Furthermore, the excitation system108may configure to transmit the desire voltage to the plurality of electrodes. Additionally, all these parts102,104, 106,and108may be controlled utilizing the controller module110such that the controller module110may create a signal platform for this purpose. In addition, the controller module may further configure to supply power to the tissue impedance measurement system102, the power supply106, and the excitation system108.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, the controller module110may comprise 5 main parts comprising a microcontroller, at least one controller module processor, a first power supply, and a second power supply.

[0028] In one or more exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in, the first power supply may comprise a first controller module power supply circuit1102. In an exemplary embodiment, a voltage of 24 volts may be converted to a voltage of 5 volts utilizing the first controller module power supply circuit1102to provide a required power for the controller module110.

[0029] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the second power supply may comprise a second controller module power supply circuit1104() that may configure to convert the voltage of 5 volts to a voltage of 3.3 volts for supplying the voltage of the microcontroller (not shown).

[0030] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the at least one processor may comprise a microprocessor as illustrated inthat may configure to control the circuits1102,1104of controller module.

[0031] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the first voltage may be a voltage of 24 volts that may be converted to the desired voltage in a range of 50 volts to 100 volts utilizing the power supply106. The desired voltage may be set to the controller module110based on a user's command, and the power supply stores the desired voltage in a capacitor bank according to the controller module110. In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in, the power supply may comprise an isolated power supply that convert the first voltage to the desired voltage based on the user’s command.

[0032] illustrates an exemplary schematic view of the excitation system108to transmit the desired voltage to the plurality of electrodes, consistent with one or more exemplary embodiments. In an exemplary embodiment, the excitation system108may be controlled utilizing the controller module110according to a user’s protocol and command that is given to the microcontroller of the controller module110.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, there is at least two methods that can be used for measuring the target tissue impedance. A first method may be applied by using a Shunt resistance (Rsh) in a source part of an output switch in the impedance measurement system. A second method may be applied by measuring a voltage changes of a capacitor bank according to an output resistance in the impedance measurement system.

[0034] In an exemplary embodiment, the Shunt resistance (Rsh) may be measured by placing a small resistance in the source part of the output switch and measuring an amount of an output current according to a voltage at both ends of the small resistance as well as measuring an amount of an output resistance according to the applied voltage.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment, an exemplary schematic view of an exemplary small resistance that is applied in the source part of the output switch is illustrated in.

[0036] In an exemplary embodiment, according to a frequency at which a resistance is to be checked, a pulse is given, and according to the capacitor bank voltage changes, a linear changes of an output resistance can be checked. The remarkable feature of the second method is reading the resistance at a desired frequency.

[0037] In an exemplary embodiment, the plurality of electrodes may be evaluate a tissue impedance and detect the target tissue having the cancer in a certain depth. In an exemplary embodiment, the plurality of electrodes can be detect the target tissue in a depth up to 10 cm. In an exemplary embodiment, the plurality of electrodes can detect the cancer even in a bone tissue.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, an applicator may be configured to arrange the plurality of electrodes in a desire distance from each other. In an exemplary embodiment, the applicator may arrange the plurality of electrodes in at least three arrays. In a particular exemplary embodiment, the applicator may arrange the plurality of electrodes in a five arrays and / or in a six arrays112(). In an exemplary embodiment, the three arrays or the five arrays arrangement of the applicator may make it possible to provide a similar distance for the electrodes that can result in providing a same electric field distribution.

[0039] In an exemplary embodiment, the system100may be operated in an electric field intensity of less than 100 v / cm and a frequency of 5 KHz to minimize the target tissue damage and pain in a patient. In one or more exemplary embodiments, the system100may be operated in an electric field intensity in a range of 70 v / cm to 100 v / cm and a frequency of 5 KHz

[0040] In an exemplary embodiment, the present disclosure further disclose a method for treating a cancer in a target tissue utilizing the above-disclosed system. In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in, the exemplary method200may comprise seven steps. In a first step202, the plurality of electrodes104may place in a target tissue of a patient and then in next step (204) an impedance of the target tissue may be measured utilizing the plurality of electrodes104and the tissue impedance measurement system102. In step208, the measured impedance may send to the controller module110and if the target tissue illustrates an impedance according to a cancer, the controller module110send a command to the power supply106to convert the first voltage to the desire voltage. If the target tissue illustrates an impedance according to a healthy tissue, the controller module110may show an alert to a user to change a position of the plurality of electrodes102and performing steps202to206for the changed position210. In next step212, the desire voltage may transmit to the plurality of the electrodes104and then in final step214the cancer may treat by inducing the desired voltage to the target tissue.

[0041] While particular aspects of the present subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from this subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is solely defined by the appended claims. It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and / or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).

[0042] It will be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. Relational terms such as first, and second, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, apparatus, or device that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, apparatus, or device. An element proceeded by “a” or “an” does not, without further constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or device that comprises the element. Moreover, “may”, “can”, and other permissive terms are used herein for describing optional features of various embodiments. These terms likewise describe selectable or configurable features generally, unless the context dictates otherwise.

Claims

A system to treat a cancer in a target tissue comprising:a power supply configure to convert a first voltage to a desired voltage;a plurality of electrodes configured to induce the desired voltage to the target tissue;an excitation system configure to transmit the desired voltage to the plurality of electrodes;a tissue impedance measurement system; anda controller module configured to supply a power to the system and creating a signal platform for the power supply, the excitation system, the tissue impedance measurement system, and the plurality of electrodes,wherein the system detects the cancer according to a real-time target tissue impedance measurement and treats the cancer in a low electric field intensity and a high frequency.The system of claim 1, further comprising an applicator configure to arrange the plurality of the electrodes in a desired distance from each other.The system of claim 2, wherein the applicator arranges the plurality of electrodes in at least three arrays.The system of claim 2, wherein the applicator arranges the plurality of electrodes in a five arrays or a six arrays.The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes detects the target tissue in a depth up to 10 cm.The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply is an isolated power supply.The system of claim 1 wherein the first voltage is of 24 volts.The system of claim 1, wherein the desired voltage is in a range of 50 volts to 100 volts.The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrodes further configure to evaluate a tissue impedance and detect the target tissue having the cancer.The system of claim 1, wherein the low electric field intensity is less than 100 v / cm, particularly in a range of 70 v / cm to 100v / cm.The system of claim 1, wherein the high frequency is a frequency of 5 KHz.A method for treating a cancer in a target tissue using a system of any one of claims 1 to 11, the method comprising the following steps:i) placing the plurality of electrodes in a target tissue place of a patient;ii) evaluating an impedance of the target tissue using the plurality of the electrodes and the tissue impedance measurement system;iii) sending the measured impedance to the controller module;iv) sending a command to the power supply to convert the first voltage to the desired voltage, if the target tissue illustrates an impedance according to a cancer;v) showing an alert to a user to change a position of the plurality of electrodes, if the target tissue illustrates an impedance according to a healthy tissue and performing steps (i) to (iii) for the changed position;vi)transmitting the desired voltage to the plurality of the electrodes, if step (iv) confirmed; andvii)treating the cancer by inducing the desired voltage to the target tissue.

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