Patents by Inventor Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo

Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240115879
    Abstract: 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 this placement is monitored in real time using a urinary catheter that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured by sensors in the walls of the urinary catheter. A scintillator that is embedded in the walls of the urinary catheter produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is carried through optical fibers and then converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals. This location can be used as quality control feedback to the afterloader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Publication number: 20240108223
    Abstract: 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 this placement is monitored in real time using a urinary catheter that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured by sensors in the walls of the urinary catheter. A scintillator that is embedded in the walls of the urinary catheter produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is carried through optical fibers and then converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals. This location can be used as quality control feedback to the afterloader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Patent number: 11903672
    Abstract: 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 this placement is monitored in real time using a urinary catheter that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured by sensors in the walls of the urinary catheter. A scintillator that is embedded in the walls of the urinary catheter produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is carried through optical fibers and then converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals. This location can be used as quality control feedback to the afterloader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: NU-RISE Lda
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Publication number: 20240050050
    Abstract: Interstitial brachytherapy is a cancer treatment in which radioactive material is placed closely to the target tissue of the affected site using an afterloader (HDR-brachytherapy) or manually (LDR- and PDR-brachytherapy). For HDR-brachytherapy, the accuracy of this placement is calibrated using an external reference system that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured at locations around the source. At each of these locations, a scintillator produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2023
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Patent number: 11896844
    Abstract: 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 this placement is monitored in real time using a urinary catheter that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured by sensors in the walls of the urinary catheter. A scintillator that is embedded in the walls of the urinary catheter produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is carried through optical fibers and then converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals. This location can be used as quality control feedback to the afterloader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Patent number: 11801021
    Abstract: Interstitial brachytherapy is a cancer treatment in which radioactive material is placed closely to the target tissue of the affected site using an afterloader (HDR-brachytherapy) or manually (LDR- and PDR-brachytherapy). For HDR-brachytherapy, the accuracy of this placement is calibrated using an external reference system that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured at locations around the source. At each of these locations, a scintillator produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Publication number: 20220305286
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Patent number: 11383100
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Publication number: 20220175327
    Abstract: Interstitial brachytherapy is a cancer treatment in which radioactive material is placed closely to the target tissue of the affected site using an afterloader (HDR-brachytherapy) or manually (LDR- and PDR-brachytherapy). For HDR-brachytherapy, the accuracy of this placement is calibrated using an external reference system that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured at locations around the source. At each of these locations, a scintillator produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Patent number: 11291419
    Abstract: Interstitial brachytherapy is a cancer treatment in which radioactive material is placed closely to the target tissue of the affected site using an afterloader (HDR-brachytherapy) or manually (LDR- and PDR-brachytherapy). For HDR-brachytherapy, the accuracy of this placement is calibrated using an external reference system that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured at locations around the source. At each of these locations, a scintillator produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Publication number: 20210236848
    Abstract: 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 this placement is monitored in real time using a urinary catheter that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured by sensors in the walls of the urinary catheter. A scintillator that is embedded in the walls of the urinary catheter produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is carried through optical fibers and then converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals. This location can be used as quality control feedback to the afterloader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Publication number: 20210177260
    Abstract: 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 this placement is monitored in real time using a urinary catheter that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured by sensors in the walls of the urinary catheter. A scintillator that is embedded in the walls of the urinary catheter produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is carried through optical fibers and then converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals. This location can be used as quality control feedback to the afterloader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Publication number: 20210177363
    Abstract: Interstitial brachytherapy is a cancer treatment in which radioactive material is placed closely to the target tissue of the affected site using an afterloader (HDR-brachytherapy) or manually (LDR- and PDR-brachytherapy). For HDR-brachytherapy, the accuracy of this placement is calibrated using an external reference system that locates the radioactive material according to the radiation levels measured at locations around the source. At each of these locations, a scintillator produces light when irradiated by the radioactive material. This light is proportional to the level of radiation at each location. The light produced by each scintillator is converted to an electrical signal that is proportional to the light and the radiation level at each location. The radioactive material is located according to the plurality of electrical signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo
  • Publication number: 20210178185
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Luis Miguel da Conceição Moutinho, Joana Isabel Ferreira dos Santos Melo