초록 ▼

The invention provides a system for therapeutic treatment of an organ, tumor, or other internal structure of a living body with therapeutic radiation after implantation, at the organ, of a magnetic element to identify the location of the organ, the element being capable of emitting a magnetic signal

The invention provides a system for therapeutic treatment of an organ, tumor, or other internal structure of a living body with therapeutic radiation after implantation, at the organ, of a magnetic element to identify the location of the organ, the element being capable of emitting a magnetic signal in response to an applied magnetic field. The system comprises a magnetic field generator for irradiating the magnetic element with an applied magnetic field, a movable magnetic field sensor for detecting the magnetic signal from a plurality of selected mutually displaced positions to produce a corresponding plurality of element-locating signals, a computing apparatus for converting the signals to a location image of the internal structure, and a controlled source of therapeutic radiation for focussing a selected degree and duration of therapeutic radiation at a target determined from the location image of the magnetic element. Preferably, the magnetic element is a length of wire of an amorphous magnetic material which produces a magnetic signal that exhibits non-linear Bark+hausen jumps in response to an applied ac magnetic field.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of determining the location of an internal structure of a living body comprising the steps of:a) implanting, at said internal structure, an element comprising a magnetic material to identify a selected location of said internal structure, said element being cap

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of determining the location of an internal structure of a living body comprising the steps of:a) implanting, at said internal structure, an element comprising a magnetic material to identify a selected location of said internal structure, said element being capable of emitting a magnetic signal in response to an applied magnetic field,b) irradiating said element with an applied magnetic field,c) detecting said magnetic signal from a plurality of selected mutually displaced positions to produce a corresponding plurality of element-locating signals, andd) converting said element-locating signals to a location image of said internal structure.