Bloodstream Tumor Cell Detection and Destruction Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic methods fail to detect and treat individual tumor cells or micrometastases in the bloodstream until they reach a significant mass, leaving a high risk of relapse and metastasis without therapeutic options.
Innovation Solution
A device utilizing photodynamic diagnostics (PDD) and therapy (PDT) with photosensitive substances like Indocyanine green (ICG), Chlorin e6, or 5-alpha levulinic acid (5-ALA) to optically excite tumor cells, detecting them through fluorescence, phosphorescence, and luminescence emissions, and then destroying them with targeted light therapy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tumour cells are destroyed by mechanical means (e.g., cutting, crushing), then tumour cells can be eliminated, but surrounding healthy tissue is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical destruction methods (cutting, crushing) with a laser-based optical system. The laser beam focuses on tumour cells to destroy them through thermal effects without requiring physical contact or mechanical force, thereby eliminating damage to surrounding healthy tissue that would occur with mechanical methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a laser beam as an intermediary between the destruction mechanism and the tumour cells. The laser energy is transmitted through the bloodstream and focused on the target cells, acting as a non-contact mediator that transfers energy precisely to the tumour cells without affecting surrounding tissue.
2Measurement precision
If a laser beam is focused on a single point in the bloodstream, then precise tumour cell destruction is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a single laser source that performs multiple functions: it generates the laser beam, the beam is directed and focused by optical elements, and it delivers energy to destroy tumour cells. This multi-functional approach avoids the need for separate complex systems for each function, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining focus precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optical elements (lenses, mirrors) to replicate and focus the laser beam to a precise point in the bloodstream. Instead of physically manipulating the beam source, the system creates an optical copy or focused image of the laser source at the target location, achieving precision without mechanical complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If the laser beam path is kept simple, then the device is easier to manufacture, but the laser cannot be focused precisely on tumour cells in the bloodstream
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces optical intermediaries (lenses, mirrors, optical fibers) that mediate between the simple laser source and the target tumour cells. These intermediaries are relatively simple components that can be precisely positioned to focus the beam, achieving high focus precision without requiring a complex overall device structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device lowers the diagnostic threshold for tumor identification and treatment, enabling early detection and therapy of individual tumor cells and micrometastases, applicable to cancer patients and those at high familial risk, as well as in veterinary medicine.
Implementation Method 1
a laser beam (3) is focused on a single point (4) in the bloodstream (2) so that the tumour cells (1) are destroyed by the laser beam (3)
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a device for registering individual tumour cells, tumour cell clusters and micrometastases in the bloodstream which are enriched with a photosensitive substance. The problem addressed by the invention is that of providing a device that enables both the reliable diagnostic recognition of individual tumour cells in the bloodstream of humans and mammals and also the therapeutic in situ elimination of same. This problem is solved with a device that has a radiation source (7, 11) with intravasal or extravasal excitation of the photosensitive substance, a detector (1, 12, 13) with intravasal or extravasal detection of a fluorescence and/or phosphorescence and/or luminescence radiation of the excited tumour cells and/or tumour cell clusters and/or micrometastases, a high-sensitivity fluorescence spectrometer (5) connected to the detector (1, 12, 13) for registering the emitted radiation, and a computer (6) connected to the spectrometer (5), which records the received peaks of the emitted radiation as a function of time.