A grid calibration system employing interventional equipment including one or more interventional tools (23), a grid (22) having a hole matrix for supporting and guiding the interventional tool(s) (23) within a calibration area, and an imaging device (24) positioned relative to the grid (22) for generating a tool image illustrative of the interventional tool(s) (23) within the calibration area. The grid calibration system further employs a grid calibration workstation (40) for displaying any alignment adjustments to the relative positioning of the grid (22) and the imaging device (24) as derived from an image registration of the tool image and a virtual grid having a point matrix representative of the hole matrix of the grid.

The problem of securing the position of an internally placed medical device that extends out of the body during targeted high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy is solved by a uniquely configured immobilization system that can be utilized to stabilize medical devices placed, for example, within the uterus or cervix. During the process of transporting a patient from the location where the HDR applicator is emplaced, for example, where the tandem and ring is placed within the cervix of a patient, to the location where the treatment is actually applied to the tissue, the medical device can move out of place and in so doing cause discomfort, pain, or an ineffective treatment for the patient. The embodiments of this immobilization system can include a strap apparatus, a straddling girdle, and bracket that can be attached to a patient. This immobilization system ensures the position of an internally placed medical device during targeted HDR brachytherapy.

A brachytherapy template adaptor for performing brachytherapy procedures using needles smaller in diameter than the template is designed to accommodate. Additionally, a kit for adapting a brachytherapy template is provided.

A method of making a guide for radioactive particle implantation in oncotherapy is disclosed. The guide making by the method has a simple structure and can guide the surgeon to carry out the radioactive particle implantation for improving the accuracy of the positions of the implanted radioactive particles and saving the time of the surgery and reducing the risk of inflection during operation.

Systems, methods, and devices are provided for assisting or performing guided interventional procedures using custom templates. The system uses pre-procedure scans of a patient's anatomy to identify targets and critical structures. A template is then manufactured containing guide elements. During a procedure, the template may be aligned to the patient and instruments passed though the guide elements and into various targets. The template may be aligned using one or more of, for example, a position sensing system or a live imaging modality to register the patient to the template. The system makes optional use of devices designed to immobilize or track an organ during therapy.

The invention relates to a marking arrangement (10) for marking positions of a medical device along a source trajectory (200), comprising a plurality of markers arranged in series along the source trajectory. Each marker (100) is aligned with the source trajectory and made of a first material and comprises a coating (110), wherein the coating is made of a second material disposed on a surface of the marker. A thickness (T) of the coating is smaller than 1 micrometer, and an interdistance (S) between each marker is smaller than 3 millimeter. The invention further relates to a system for reconstructing a planned trajectory of a medical device, comprising a detection module arranged for detecting the marking arrangement (10) and a treatment calculation module arranged for determining trajectories and dwell times.

The invention relates to an assembly for performing brachytherapy treatment of tumor tissue in a human or animal body comprising an intracavitary component and at least one guiding unit, said at least one guiding unit exhibiting a longitudinal axis and being connectable to said intracavitary component, and wherein said at least one guiding unit is provided with coupling means for coupling at least one interstitial needle-assembly for delivering treatment to said tumor tissue. The assembly has coupling/uncoupling means arranged to allow a displacement of said at least one interstitial needle-assembly in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis and to prevent a displacement of said at least one interstitial needle-assembly in a direction parallel to or a pre-defined angle to said longitudinal axis. This coupling principle allows for the preparation of the guiding unit before the patient is being hospitalized and positioned in the treatment room and will prevent the unwanted uncoupling of the interstitial needle-assembly during the actual treatment being performed, further reducing the risk of adversely affected treatment parameters (location and duration of the radiation being administered to the patient).

A combined imaging probe holder and interventional needle guide assembly is provided. The imaging probe holder supports an imaging device (e.g., ultrasound probe) in a known relationship with a biopsy/treatment device holder such that a delivery element or interventional needle is constrained within an imaging field of the imaging device.

Constraining the biopsy treatment device within the imaging field allows for real-time monitoring of the biopsy/treatment device during insertion of the interventional needle into patient tissue. In addition, the biopsy/treatment device holder is angularly positionable relative to the image field to allow advancement of the delivery element to any desired location within the imaging field.

A subject target tissue specific template device (300) that includes a block of material (302) and a plurality of apertures (310) in the material. An aperture of the plurality of apertures is located in the block of material at a location that corresponds to an area of interest identified in an image of an anatomical region of interest of a subject and transferred to an image of block of material with no aperture, which is geometrically aligned with the image of the anatomical region of interest of the subject. A method includes aligning, with a computing system, an image of anatomical tissue of interest with an image of a grid, marking at least one area of interest of tissue of interest within the image of tissue of interest, transferring the marking to the image of the grid, and saving the image of a grid with the marking as a file in an electronic format.

The invention relates to a registration apparatus for registering an elongated introduction element (18), like a catheter or a needle, during an interventional procedure, for instance, a brachytherapy or a biopsy. A guide element (13) comprising at least one opening guides the introduction element when being introduced into a living being (2) through the opening. A temperature profile generation element (14) associated with the opening generates a characteristic temperature profile at the opening for being transferred to the introduction element when being present in the opening. A temperature determination unit (15) determines a temperature along the introduction element, and a registration unit (16) registers the introduction element, wherein the registering comprises identifying the transferred characteristic temperature profile on the introduction element based on the determined temperature. This allows the registration unit to register the introduction element during the introduction process in a simple and efficient manner.