US6076005A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Respiration responsive gating means and apparatus and methods using the same
Assignee: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
•
Filing: 1998-08-06
•
Granted: 2000-06-13
•
Expires: 2018-08-06
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for gating therapeutic or diagnostic energy to a tissue volume of a medical patient during a selected portion of the patient's respiratory cycle, to thereby diminish inaccuracies in the assumed spatial position of the tissue volume arising from displacements induced by the patient's respiration. The gases flowing to and from the patient's lungs are monitored to provide quasi-continuous measurements as a function of time, of (a) flow rate, (b) pressure, (c) patient lung volume and (d) carbon dioxide concentration. The measurements are utilized to trigger the time period during which the energy is gated on, at the beginning of the selected portion of the respiration cycle; and the time period during which the energy is gated on, is terminated at the end of the selected portion of the respiration cycle.
Inventors
- 👤 Marc R. Sontag
- 👤 Bentley H. Burnham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 21:16
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/54; A61B6/541; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/10; A61N5/1048; H; H05; H05H; H05H7/00; H05H7/12; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00681; A61B2017/00694; A61B2017/00699; A61B5/00; A61B5/72; A61B5/7271; A61B5/7285; A61B8/00; A61B8/54; A61B8/543; A61N5/103; A61N5/1037; A61N5/1064
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for gating therapeutic or diagnostic energy to a tissue volume of a medical patient during a selected portion of the patient's respiratory cycle, to thereby diminish inaccuracies in the assumed spatial position of the tissue volume arising from displacements induced by the patient's respiration; said method comprising: monitoring the gases flowing to and from the patient's lungs to provide quasi-continuous measurements as a function of time, of (a) flow rate, (b) pressure, (c) patient lung volume and (d) carbon dioxide concentration; utilizing the said measurements to trigger the time period during which the said energy is gated on, at the beginning of the selected portion of the respiration cycle; and terminating the time period during which the said energy is gated on, at the end of the selected portion of the respiration cycle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for gating therapeutic or diagnostic energy to a tissue volume of a medical patient during a selected portion of the patient's respiratory cycle, to thereby diminish inaccuracies in the assumed spatial position of the tissue volume arising from displacements induced by the patient's respiration; said method comprising: monitoring the gases flowing to and from the patient's lungs to provide quasi-continuous measurements as a function of time, of (a) flow rate, (b) pressure, (c) patient lung volume and (d) carbon dioxide concentration; utilizing the said measurements to trigger the time period during which the said energy is gated on, at the beginning of the selected portion of the respiration cycle; and terminating the time period during which the said energy is gated on, at the end of the selected portion of the respiration cycle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selected portion of the respiration cycle starts at substantially full exhalation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the selected portion of the respiration cycle includes a respiration hold introduced in the cycle by the patient at said substantially full exhalation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method in accordance with claim 3, wherein said energy is gated on when at the same time (1) said gas flow rate and pressure are below predetermined levels; (2) said lung volume is below a predetermined threshold level; and (3) the carbon dioxide level is above a preselected level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein said predetermined levels for said flow and pressure are less than a user selectable fraction of the immediately previous peak values for said parameters; and wherein said preselected carbon dioxide level is a selected fraction of its maximum value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein said energy gating period is terminated independently of one or more of measurements (a) through (d).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
107 words
A method in accordance with claim 4, wherein said energy gating period is terminated when (1) said gas flow and pressure are greater than a predetermined fraction of the immediately previous peak values of said parameters; and (2) the difference between the last maximum value and the current value of said lung volume is greater than said predetermined threshold value, OR the time rate of change of said lung volume has changed from being substantially zero; and (3) the concentration of said carbon dioxide falls below a selected threshold value, and (4) the time rate of change of said carbon dioxide concentration has a substantially negative value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method in accordance with claim 7, subject to the further condition for energy gating termination that (5) a preselected time period has transpired following occurrence of condition (4).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selected portion of the respiration cycle is initiated at substantially full inhalation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein a hold is introduced in the respiration cycle by the patient at said substantially full inhalation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein said energy is gated on when at the same time (1) said gas flow rate and pressure are below predetermined levels; (2) said lung volume is above a predetermined level and the time rate of change of the lung volume is substantially zero; and (3) the carbon dioxide level is below a preselected level.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method in accordance with claim 11, wherein said predetermined levels for said gas flow and pressure are less than a selected fraction of the immediately previous peak values for said parameters; and wherein said carbon dioxide level is substantially zero.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selected portion of the respiratory cycle is centered about full exhalation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the said energy is electromagnetic.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the said energy comprises x-rays.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the said energy is at visible or near visible frequencies.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the said energy comprises an activating field for MRI diagnosis.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the said energy is in the form of a particle beam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the said energy is sonic.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the said measurements are utilized to control a gating signal which activates a source of the energy.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
148 words
A system for gating energy to a tissue volume of a medical patient during a selected portion of the patient's respiratory cycle, to thereby diminish inaccuracies in the assumed spatial position of the tissue volume arising from displacements induced by the patient's respiration; said system comprising: a controllable source of radiated energy for gating said energy to said patient tissue volume in response to an ON/OFF control signal; means for monitoring the gases flowing to and from the patient's lungs and providing quasi-continuous measurements as a function of time, of (a) flow rate, (b) pressure, (c) patient lung volume and (d) carbon dioxide concentration; means for utilizing said measurements to trigger said source control signal to ON at the beginning of the selected portion of the respiration cycle; and means for triggering said control signal to OFF at the end of the selected portion of the respiration cycle.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
148 words
A system for gating energy to a tissue volume of a medical patient during a selected portion of the patient's respiratory cycle, to thereby diminish inaccuracies in the assumed spatial position of the tissue volume arising from displacements induced by the patient's respiration; said system comprising: a controllable source of radiated energy for gating said energy to said patient tissue volume in response to an ON/OFF control signal; means for monitoring the gases flowing to and from the patient's lungs and providing quasi-continuous measurements as a function of time, of (a) flow rate, (b) pressure, (c) patient lung volume and (d) carbon dioxide concentration; means for utilizing said measurements to trigger said source control signal to ON at the beginning of the selected portion of the respiration cycle; and means for triggering said control signal to OFF at the end of the selected portion of the respiration cycle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system in accordance with claim 21, wherein said source generates electromagnetic energy.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
13 words
A system in accordance with claim 21, wherein said source generates sonic energy.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system in accordance with claim 21, wherein said source generates a stream of energetic particles.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system in accordance with claim 21, wherein said means for triggering said control signal to OFF effects said triggering in response to said measurements.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said means for triggering said control signal to OFF effects said triggering independent of said measurements.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said means for triggering said control signal to OFF effects said triggering as a function of elapsed time from the triggering of said control signal to ON.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system in accordance with claim 21, wherein the selected portion of the patient's respiratory cycle starts at full inhalation.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system in accordance with claim 21, wherein the selected portion of the patient's respiratory cycle starts at full exhalation.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system in accordance with claim 21, wherein the selected portion of the patient's respiratory cycle is centered about full exhalation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3524058A
Cited
US3993995A
Cited
US4163901A
Cited
US4387722A
Cited
US4727882A
Cited
US4663591A
Cited
US4720678A
Cited
US4726046A
Cited
US5140981A
Cited
US4751462A
Cited
US5067494A
Cited
US5511553A
Cited
US5271401A
Cited
US5352979A
Cited
US5419327A
Cited
US5285794A
Cited
US5363844A
Cited
US5485833A
Cited
US5764723A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-06-13 | 2003-12-13 | 2004-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-06-13 | 2007-12-13 | 2008-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-06-13 | 2011-12-13 | 2012-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |