In one aspect, radioactive nanoparticles are described herein. In some embodiments, a radioactive nanoparticle described herein comprises a metal nanoparticle core, an outer metal shell disposed over the metal nanoparticle core, and a metallic radioisotope disposed within the metal nanoparticle core or within the outer metal shell. In some cases, the radioactive nanoparticle has a size of about 30-500 nm in three dimensions. In addition, in some embodiments, the radioactive nanoparticle further comprises an inner metal shell disposed between the metal nanoparticle core and the outer metal shell. The metal nanoparticle core, outer metal shell, and inner metal shell of the radioactive nanoparticle can have various metallic compositions.

An afterloading device for effectuating a brachytherapy treatment, comprising a first elongated flexible transport element, arranged to maneuver a radiation source between a storage position inside the afterloading device and a treatment position outside the afterloading device, the afterloading device further comprising a second elongated flexible transport element, having at least one transducer, the second transport element being arranged to move the at least one transducer between a first transducer position and a second transducer position.

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.

An implant planning system aids delivery of radiation to tumor sites of a patient. The system allows a user to test various combinations of virtual implants, each associated with a corresponding physical implant (e.g., a carrier with an embedded radioactive seed), and to view the dosage area of the virtual implants so that adjustments to the virtual implants may be made until a prescribed dose of radiation to a treatment area is achieved. A treatment plan developed based on the virtual implants may then be used in surgical implantation of the corresponding physical implants. For example, the implant configuration of the treatment plan may be projected onto a treatment surface of a patient, such as in a surgical room, so that physical implants may be placed according to the projected image of the virtual implants.

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.

The use of dianhydrogalactitol provides a novel therapeutic modality for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme and medulloblastoma. Dianhydrogalactitol acts as an alkylating agent on DNA that creates N7 methylation. Dianhydrogalactitol is effective in suppressing the growth of cancer stem cells and is active against tumors that are refractory to temozolomide; the drug acts independently of the MGMT repair mechanism.

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

The present invention provides balloon catheters and methods for using the same. Unlike existing balloon catheters in the art, the present balloon catheters expand in the proximal direction to enhance fit. The balloon catheters include sliding balloon catheters, preformed balloon catheters, super-elastic balloon catheters, and may be augmented with peripheral catheters.

A brachytherapy treatment planning system includes a processor that: receives a planning image corresponding to at least a portion of a prostate; generates a brachytherapy treatment plan comprising, for each of a plurality of brachytherapy seeds or catheters, a corresponding brachytherapy seed or catheter position in the planning image such that the plurality of brachytherapy seed or catheter positions in the planning image together satisfy a desired radioactive dose objective in the prostate; receives a pre-treatment image corresponding to the at least a portion of a prostate; and maps each brachytherapy seed or catheter position in the planning image to a corresponding position in the pre-treatment image by performing a registration between the planning image and the pre-treatment image.

Embodiments of the disclosure may be drawn to brachytherapy source assemblies. Exemplary source assemblies may include a cable made of an electrically non-conductive material and a guide wire coupled to and extending from a distal end of the cable. The guide wire may have a distal end region and a proximal end region, and the guide wire may have a length that is shorter than a length of the cable. The assembly may also include a capsule located at a distal end region of the guide wire, and the capsule may include a chamber configured to contain a radioactive source. The capsule may be formed of a non-ferromagnetic material and may have a ferromagnetic coating that at least partially covers the capsule.