Braces to reduce bending of a brachytherapy needle during insertion into a patient, as well as methods of using the needle braces and kits useful therefor.

An ultrasound calibration phantom comprises a portion including at least one fiducial structure having a selected geometric arrangement; a portion adapted for mechanical coupling of the ultrasound calibration phantom to a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) stepper; and a guide for at least one surgical instrument, the guide being mechanically coupled to the fiducial structure and/or to the TRUS stepper at a selected pose relative to the fiducial structure. A calibration method uses the calibration phantom and provides automatic, intraoperative calibration of ultrasound imaging systems. The invention is useful in ultrasound-guided clinical procedures.

A catheter treatment apparatus comprises an elongate tubular member and an expandable support. The expandable support comprises a radioactive substance to treat cancerous tissue and is configured to expand from a narrow profile for insertion to a wide profile to engage and treat tissue remaining after resection. The expandable support can be sized to fit within a volume of removed tissue to place the radioactive substance in proximity to the capsule and remaining tissue, to spare the capsule and proximate nerves and vessels to treat tissue in proximity to the capsule. The elongate tubular member may comprise a channel such as a lumen to pass a bodily fluid such as urine when the expandable support engages the tissue to treat the patient for a plurality of days. The treatment apparatus can be used to resect and diagnose tissue concurrently. Based on the diagnosis, targeted segmental treatment may be given.

Interstitial brachytherapy is a cancer treatment in which radioactive material is placed directly in the target tissue of the affected site using an afterloader. The accuracy of radiation placement is monitored during the cancer treatment. The location plan for the radioactive material may be adjusted during the cancer treatment based on real-time analysis of the location and dosage of radiation measured in, at and around the target tissue of the affected site.

The invention relates to a method for determining the position of a surgical tool relative to a target volume inside an animal body according to a pre-plan comprising the steps of i) obtaining a plurality of two-dimensional images of said target volume using imaging means, each 2D-image being represented by an image data slice I(x,y,z); ii) reconstructing from said plurality of image data slices I(x,y,z) a three-dimensional image of said target volume using transformation means, said 3D-image being represented by a volumetric image data array V(x,y,z); iii) displaying said three-dimensional image of said target volume to an user using displaying means.

A system combines hyperthermia and radiation treatments in a single treatment modality by using a radioactive seed having magnetic, ferromagnetic, or ferrimagnetic properties.

A system, method, and storage device storing computer executable instructions for use in tissue analysis and therapy. A motorized optical probe for illuminating tissue generates light fluorescence and/or diffuse reflectance signals corresponding to the illuminated tissue. One or more ultrasound, CT and MRI imaging guidance systems identify the position of the optical probes relative to the tissue. An imaging system generates a three-dimensional image of the tissue based on the generated light signals and the identified position of the optical probe.

A mechanism facilitates the insertion of radioactive sources/source strands into soft tissue, such as breast tissue, that improves the reproducibility of the procedure and ensures that the sources are reliably and consistently inserted in an exact position per a patient prescription treatment plan from patient to patient as well as improve the ease-of-use of the device and procedure.

A device for depositing a solid medicament, having: a cannula (12) having a tip (18) provided at the distal end; and an attachment (20) which receives a proximal region of the cannula and has ridges (24, 26, 28) extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the cannula; and a plunger (16) which is movable progressively inside the cannula and has a handle (38). The handle (38) has rib-like retaining elements which extend in the longitudinal direction of the plunger (16), are spaced apart therefrom and are connected to the plunger in each case using a connecting element which can be severed at least in one of its end regions by interacting with the attachment (20).

A method of treating a patient with a tumor, and kits (200) for such treatment. The method includes administering, to the patient, a substance (204) which activates cytoplasmatic sensors for intracellular pathogen in the tumor and treating the tumor with intra-tumoral alpha-emitter radiotherapy within two weeks of administering the substance which activates cytoplasmatic sensors for intracellular pathogen in the tumor.