1563 results about "Ionizing radiation" patented technology

Methods are provided for close-range intraoperative, endoscopic and intravascular deflection and treatment of lesions, including tumors and non-malignant lesions. The methods use antibody fragments or subfragments labeled with isotopic and non-isotopic agents. Also provided are methods for detection and treatment of lesions with photodynamic agents and methods of treating lesions with a protein conjugated to an agent capable of being activated to emit Auger electron or other ionizing radiation. Compositions and kits useful in the above methods are also provided.

A variable magnet system for manipulating a magnetic catheter is described. In one embodiment, a cluster of electromagnets is configured to generate a desired magnetic field. In one embodiment, one or more poles of the cluster are moveable with respect to other poles in the cluster to allow shaping of the magnetic field. In one embodiment, one or more magnetic poles can be extended or retracted to shape the magnetic field. In one embodiment, the electromagnets can be positioned to generate magnetic fields that exert a desired torque and/or movement force on the catheter. In one embodiment, the catheter guidance system includes a closed-loop servo feedback system. In one embodiment, a radar system is used to determine the location of the distal end of the catheter inside the body, thus, minimizing or eliminating the use of ionizing radiation such as X-rays. The catheter guidance system can also be used in combination with an X-ray system (or other imaging systems) to provide additional imagery to the operator. The magnetic system used in the magnetic catheter guidance system can also be used to locate the catheter tip to provide location feedback to the operator and the control system. In one embodiment, a magnetic field source is used to create a magnetic field of sufficient strength and orientation to move a magnetically-responsive catheter tip in a desired direction by a desired amount.

Applicant's present invention is a composite scintillator having enhanced transparency for detecting ionizing radiation comprising a material having optical transparency wherein said material comprises nano-sized objects having a size in at least one dimension that is less than the wavelength of light emitted by the composite scintillator wherein the composite scintillator is designed to have selected properties suitable for a particular application.

The present invention relates to a device for simultaneously treating a tumor or cancerous growth with both hyperthermia and X-ray radiation using brachytherapy. The device includes a needle-like introducer serving as a microwave antenna. Microwaves are emitted from the introducer to increase the temperature of cancerous body tissue. The introducer is an inner conductor of a coaxial cable. The introducer contains a hollow core which houses an X-ray emitter. The X-ray emitter is connected to a high voltage miniature cable which extends from the X-ray emitter to a high voltage power source. The X-ray emitter emits ionizing radiation to irradiate cancerous tissue. A cooling system is included to control the temperature of the introducer. Temperature sensors placed around the periphery of the tumor monitor the temperature of the treated tissue.

A radiation sensor including a scintillation layer configured to emit photons upon interaction with ionizing radiation and a photodetector including in order a first electrode, a photosensitive layer, and a photon-transmissive second electrode disposed in proximity to the scintillation layer. The photosensitive layer is configured to generate electron-hole pairs upon interaction with a part of the photons. The radiation sensor includes pixel circuitry electrically connected to the first electrode and configured to measure an imaging signal indicative of the electron-hole pairs generated in the photosensitive layer and a planarization layer disposed on the pixel circuitry between the first electrode and the pixel circuitry such that the first electrode is above a plane including the pixel circuitry. A surface of at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode at least partially overlaps the pixel circuitry and has a surface inflection above features of the pixel circuitry. The surface inflection has a radius of curvature greater than one half micron.

Described is a radiation dosimeter including multiple sensor devices (including one or more passive integrating electronic radiation sensor, a MEMS accelerometers, a wireless transmitters and, optionally, a GPS, a thermistor, or other chemical, biological or EMF sensors) and a computer program for the simultaneous detection and wireless transmission of ionizing radiation, motion and global position for use in occupational and environmental dosimetry. The described dosimeter utilizes new processes and algorithms to create a self-contained, passive, integrating dosimeter. Furthermore, disclosed embodiments provide the use of MEMS and nanotechnology manufacturing techniques to encapsulate individual ionizing radiation sensor elements within a radiation attenuating material that provides a “filtration bubble” around the sensor element, the use of multiple attenuating materials (filters) around multiple sensor elements, and the use of a software algorithm to discriminate between different types of ionizing radiation and different radiation energy.

A radiosurgical method for treating cardiorenal disease of a patient, the method including directing radiosurgery radiation from outside the patient towards one or more target treatment regions encompassing sympathetic ganglia of the patient so as to inhibit the cardiorenal disease. In an exemplary embodiment, the method further includes acquiring three dimensional planning image data encompassing the first and second renal arteries, planning an ionizing radiation treatment of first and second target regions using the three dimensional planning image data so as to mitigate the hypertension, the first and second target regions encompassing neural tissue of or proximate to the first and second renal arteries, respectively, and remodeling the target regions by directing the planned radiation from outside the body toward the target regions.

A charged particle beam apparatus for processing an object using a charged particle beam includes a charged particle lens in which an array of apertures, through each of which a charged particle beam passes, is formed; a vacuum container which contains the charged particle lens; and a radiation source configured to generate an ionizing radiation; wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the radiation source to pass the ionizing radiation through the array of apertures in a state in which a pressure in the vacuum container is changing.

An antireflection film comprising a transparent substrate film having thereon a hard coat, a high refractive index layer and a low refractive index layer, wherein: (i) the high refractive index layer is formed by applying a coating solution containing the following (a) to (c); (ii) the low refractive index layer is formed by applying a coating solution containing the following (d) and (e); (iii) the antireflection film is heat treated, wherein (a) metal oxide particles having an average primary particle diameter of 10 to 200 nm; (b) a metal compound; (c) an ionizing radiation curable resin; (d) an organosilicon compound having a prescribed structure, a hydrolyzed compound of the organosilicon compound, a decomposed compound of the organosilicon compound or a polycondensed compound of the organosilicon compound; and (e) hollow silica particles each having an outer shell, and a void or a porous portion in the inside.

A radiation monitoring system for detecting levels of radiation emitted from moving objects traveling at a wide range of speeds, including the high speeds normally encountered with vehicles traveling on highways, interstates, thoroughfares, railroads and conveyors. At least two and preferably three ionizing radiation detectors are employed, spaced apart in series along the direction of travel of the moving object or vehicle. The object or vehicle is monitored for radioactivity and the results are transmitted and processed at a central location. The individual results from each detector for a particular object or vehicle are summed and averaged over the number of detectors used thereby clearly distinguishing the fluctuating background radiation detected at each detector from the consistent high levels of radiation detected from those moving objects or vehicles measured emitting radiation. The results are cooperatively linked by an identification system such as a web cam or other photographic device which obtains visual identification of the objects and vehicles emitting the abnormally high levels of radiation detected.

The present invention relates to smart monitor for fire hydrants. One embodiment of the smart monitor comprises an electronic module associated with an operating nut and nut shaft. The electronic module may be an integral part of the fire hydrant design or it may be a part of an upgrade kit for upgrading existing fire hydrant installations. The electronic module may be configured to detect when a fire hydrant has been accessed and transmit a data signal to a remote location. The electronic module may comprise any number of environmental sensors configured to monitor the water flowing through a fire hydrant, the status of the fire hydrant, and the environment surrounding the fire hydrant. One such environmental sensor a radiation sensor configured to detect ionizing radiation.

The Body Cavity Cancer Treatment Apparatus generates the magnetic field for use in a combined “Low Temperature Hyperthermia” and ionizing radiation and/or chemotherapy cancer treatment protocol. Unlike other competing systems, the Body Cavity Cancer Treatment Apparatus does not directly kill or ablate the cancer cells with killing temperatures rather, the Body Cavity Cancer Treatment Apparatus stresses the cancer and cancer stem cells by keeping them at a nominal 42° Celsius for some period of time via the heating of nano-particles that have been infused into the bladder, using the generated magnetic field.

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for the protection of skin and mucous membranes from undesirable side effects of ionizing radiation in a patient undergoing ionizing radiation therapy. In particular, the application describes compositions and methods comprising the topical use of Nrf2 inducers.

The present invention provides a method for treating tumors or tumor metastases in a patient, comprising administering to said patient simultaneously or sequentially a therapeutically effective amount of a combination of an anti-cancer agent or treatment that elevates pAkt levels in tumor cells and an IGF-1R kinase inhibitor of Formula (I) (e.g. OSI-906). Examples of such anti-cancer agents or treatments include doxorubicin, cisplatin, and ionizing radiation. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising an anti-cancer agent that elevates pAkt levels in tumor cells and an IGF-1R kinase inhibitor of Formula (I), in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The present invention also provides a method of identifying tumor cells that will respond most favorably to treatment with a combination of an anti-cancer agent or treatment that elevates pAkt levels in tumor cells and an IGF-1R kinase inhibitor.

Embodiments provide a composite material with oriented nanotubes and a method for making the composite material. The composite material can be formed by distributing a plurality of nanotubes in a polymer matrix. The nanotubes can be further magnetically oriented during the formation of the polymeric matrix, while the polymer matrix is magnetically annealed. The composite material can provide enhanced mechanical and electrical properties, and effective radiation resistance against high-energy ionizing radiation particles and/or electromagnetic interferences. The composite material can be useful for lightweight armors incorporated into vehicles, aircrafts or personnel protection with high ballistic properties, and efficient dissipation of radiation energies, photovoltaic cells with improved polymer solar cell efficiency, improved light emitting diodes (LEDs) with controllable optical properties, or infrared screening devices with increased extinction coefficient.

Systems and methods for tracking targets in real time for radiation therapy and other applications. In one embodiment, a method includes collecting position information of a marker implanted within a patient at a site relative to the target at a time t_n, and providing an objective output indicative of the location of the target based on the position information collected at time t_n. The objective output is provided to a memory device, user interface, and/or radiation delivery machine within 1 ms to 2 seconds of the time t_n when the position information was collected. This embodiment of the method can further include providing the objective output at a periodicity of 10-200 ms during at least a portion of a treatment procedure. For example, the method can further include generating a beam of ionizing radiation and directing the beam to a machine isocenter, and continuously repeating the collecting procedure and the providing procedure every 10-200 ms while irradiating the patient with the ionizing radiation beam.

The present invention is a power cell for directly converting ionizing radiation into electrical energy. The invented isotopic electric converter provides an electrical power source that includes an electronegative material layered in a semiconductor, to form a first region that has a high density of conduction electrons, and an electropositive material also layered in the semiconductor material to form a second region with a high density of holes. Said N-layers region and P-layers region are separated by a neutral zone of semiconductor material doped with a radioactive isotope, such as, but not limited to, tritium. No junction is formed between the N and P layers regions. Rather, the potential gradient across the neutral zone is provided by the difference between the work functions of the electronegative and electropositive electrodes. Electrical contacts are affixed to the respective regions of the first and second type conductivity which become the anode and cathode of the cell, respectively. Beta particles emitted by the tritium generate electron-hole pairs within the neutral zone, which are swept away by the potential gradient between the first and second regions, thereby producing an electric current.