mmWave Array and Implanted Susceptors for Tumor Targeting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-invasive hyperthermia treatments for cancer lack precision in delivering thermal energy to tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a mmWave array and implanted medical grade susceptors to deliver precise hyperthermia-based anti-cancer treatments. The mmWave array steers energy into the susceptors, which convert the energy into infrared heat, targeting tumor cells while minimizing exposure to healthy tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If non-invasive hyperthermia treatments use traditional microwave or radiofrequency methods, then thermal energy can be delivered to tumors, but the precision in targeting tumors while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the hyperthermia treatment by separating the energy delivery function into two distinct components: external mmWave antennas that provide precise beam steering capability, and implanted susceptors that convert energy to heat. This segmentation allows the external system to precisely target the tumor location while the implanted susceptor confines the thermal energy generation to the tumor site, resolving the contradiction between delivering sufficient thermal energy and minimizing damage to healthy tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The implanted susceptor acts as an intermediary device between the external mmWave energy source and the tumor tissue. It receives focused mmWave energy from the external array and converts it to infrared heat locally at the tumor site. This intermediary function enables precise energy delivery without requiring the external antenna to be in direct contact with or closely adjacent to the tumor, thereby protecting surrounding healthy tissues from excessive thermal exposure.
2Measurement precision
If mmWave array with beam steering is used, then energy delivery precision is improved, but the system complexity increases due to array configuration and control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the complex beam steering and energy focusing functions from the implanted device and places them in the external mmWave array system. The implanted susceptor is designed to be relatively simple, serving primarily as an energy converter. This extraction of complexity to the external system allows for precise energy delivery while keeping the implanted component simple and suitable for medical implantation.
Solution Approach 2:
The external mmWave array system serves multiple functions: it provides beam steering capability, focuses energy precisely on the target, and controls the heating process. By consolidating these multiple functions in the external system rather than the implanted device, the overall system achieves high precision energy delivery while the implanted component remains simple and focused on its primary conversion function.
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 system achieves precise delivery of thermal energy to tumors, ensuring minimal damage to healthy tissues and effective treatment of cancer cells, thereby improving clinical outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
The mmWave array steers energy into the susceptors, which convert the energy into infrared heat
Implementation Method 2
a beam steering controller for the array of millimeter wave amplifier integrated circuits that is configured to steer the output energy of the array of millimeter wave amplifier integrated circuits into the one or more medical grade implantable susceptors
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for hyperthermia-based anti-cancer treatments are disclosed herein. One disclosed system for hyperthermia-based anti-cancer treatments includes an array of millimeter wave amplifier integrated circuits having an output energy, one or more medical grade implantable susceptors, and a beam steering controller for the array of millimeter wave amplifier integrated circuits that is configured to steer the output energy of the array of millimeter wave amplifier integrated circuits into the one or more medical grade implantable susceptors.