초록 ▼

A system and method are disclosed for internally delivering a therapeutic agent to a patient under the automatic control of a computer. A diagnostic imaging modality, such as a CAT or MRI scanning system, generates one or more images of the patient's anatomy showing an anatomical region into which i

A system and method are disclosed for internally delivering a therapeutic agent to a patient under the automatic control of a computer. A diagnostic imaging modality, such as a CAT or MRI scanning system, generates one or more images of the patient's anatomy showing an anatomical region into which it is desired to deliver the cellular transplants. For each such image, location coordinates with respect to a patient support means are calculated by the computer for each individual pixel making up the image. Location coordinates are then defined for a select body region corresponding to pixels of the anatomical image(s) designated by a user of the system to receive the therapeutic agent. The computer then operates a manipulator arm in order to position an injection tool such as an injection needle or catheter mounted on the arm adjacent to the select body region. In the case of an injection needle, the needle is inserted into the region at the appropriate depth, and an injector is operated under computer control to force a predetermined amount of a medium containing the therapeutic agent out of a lumen within the injection needle and into the select body region.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [16.] A system for delivering a therapeutic agent to a patient comprising:a computer;an injector assembly comprising an injection needle having a conduit therein for flowing a fluid into tissue in which the needle is inserted and an injector for forcing, a therapeutic agent th

[ What is claimed is:] [16.] A system for delivering a therapeutic agent to a patient comprising:a computer;an injector assembly comprising an injection needle having a conduit therein for flowing a fluid into tissue in which the needle is inserted and an injector for forcing, a therapeutic agent through said conduit wherein said therapeutic agent is a transplant medium containing cellular transplants;an automatic manipulator including a manipulator arm assembly for supporting and operating said injection needle and a power driving device for moving said manipulator arm along multiple axes;a patient support structure having a support surface;a power driven device operable under computer control for moving said support surface and said manipulator arm assembly relative to one another to cause the manipulator arm assembly to controllably move said injection needle into select regions of the patient's body;a scanning system including an imaging device for generating image information of select anatomical regions of the patient's body;a plurality of sensors for sensing the relative positions of said patient support, said manipulator arm assembly, and said scanning imaging device, and generating and feeding coded signals representing the sensed positions to said computer;a first computer program for calculating location coordinates of select body regions defined by pixels of images produced by said scanning imaging device and using the coded signals representing the sensed relative positions of said patient support means and said imaging device; anda second computer program for calculating location coordinates of said injection needle and determining when said injection needle is located at said select body region into which it is desired to deliver a therapeutic agent.