MRI-Compatible Cooling Applicator for Thermal Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current interstitial thermal therapy technologies face challenges in accurately controlling the three-dimensional pattern of energy deposition during treatment, particularly in treating targets with complex geometry, such as the prostate gland, and struggle to avoid overheating adjacent normal tissues, leading to potential damage.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with an elongated member designed for insertion into a body cavity, featuring cooling fluid inlet and outlet ports, a fluid plenum, and temperature control systems, which allows for controlled cooling of healthy tissues during thermal therapy, minimizing overheating and maintaining temperature within safe ranges, while being compatible with thermal and imaging modalities like MRI.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If interstitial thermal therapy uses point or line sources of energy for heating, then the treatment can be delivered minimally-invasively, but the three-dimensional pattern of energy deposition cannot be controlled dynamically during treatment
Solution Approach 1:
The heating applicator is divided into multiple independently controllable heating elements arranged in a matrix pattern. Each element can be activated or deactivated independently, allowing dynamic control of the three-dimensional energy deposition pattern to conform to complex target geometries while maintaining minimal invasiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables real-time adjustment of the heating pattern during treatment by dynamically controlling which heating elements are activated. This dynamic control allows the energy deposition pattern to adapt to the specific geometry of the target tissue and respond to feedback from temperature monitoring systems
2Reliability
If thermal therapy heats tissue to 55-60°C to achieve coagulation, then therapeutic effect is achieved, but adjacent normal tissues may be overheated and damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different thermal conditions to different regions: the target tissue receives heating to 55-60°C for coagulation, while adjacent normal tissues are cooled to temperatures below 40°C using integrated cooling elements. This local differentiation of thermal conditions simultaneously achieves therapeutic effect and protects normal tissue
Solution Approach 2:
Cooling elements containing cryogenic fluid act as intermediaries between the heating elements and the adjacent normal tissue. These cooling elements absorb heat from the normal tissue, creating a thermal barrier that prevents overheating while allowing the heating elements to effectively treat the target tissue
3Object-affected harmful factors
If current cooling systems are added to thermal therapy apparatus, then adjacent normal tissues can be cooled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is merged with the heating apparatus by integrating cooling elements directly into the same applicator structure. The cooling and heating elements share common structural components, fluid delivery systems, and control electronics, reducing overall device complexity while achieving effective thermal protection of normal tissue
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
This solution enables precise thermal treatment of diseased tissues with reduced risk of damage to nearby normal tissues, allowing for effective and efficient thermal therapy by dynamically controlling energy deposition and temperature monitoring, thus enhancing treatment accuracy and patient safety.
Implementation Method 1
cooling of healthy tissues during thermal therapy
Implementation Method 2
cooling fluid inlet and outlet ports, a fluid plenum
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus for cooling certain tissues in the vicinity of diseased or other tissue undergoing thermal treatment is disclosed. The present apparatus is configured and designed to have certain physical characteristics, e.g., certain acoustic and imaging responses. In some embodiments the present apparatus is compatible with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environments used in conjunction with the thermal treatment, or other imaging environments. In some embodiments the present apparatus is detectable by said MRI and is within the imaging field of view (FOV) but causes few or no imaging artifacts. Additionally, the present apparatus does not substantially interfere with the thermal treatment, e.g., ultrasonic therapy, which can proceed to heat the targeted volume of tissue while protective cooling of tissues near the diseased tissue by the present apparatus takes place.