Abstract: This invention is directed to corrugated retention and filtration systems which are designed and installed to control sediment runoff. The corrugated systems creates a multiple of adjacent retention and filtration wedges with acute angles at their downstream vertexes for increased surface area and an increased number of structural support elements throughout the system. The corrugated retention and filtration system provides structural, hydrodynamic, and filtration features not available from a conventional linear systems used for sedimentation control applications.

Abstract: This patent is directed to corrugated retention and filtration systems which are designed and installed to control sediment runoff. The corrugated systems creates a multiple of adjacent retention and filtration wedges with acute angles at their downstream vertexes for increased surface area and an increased number of structural support elements throughout the system. The corrugated retention and filtration system provides structural, hydrodynamic, and filtration features not available from a conventional linear systems used for sedimentation control applications.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for imaging activity of an organ of a subject for diagnosis and prognosis of pathology or injury to the organ, where unaffected portions of the organ are used as a reference for assessing activity of afflicted areas of the organ.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for imaging activity of an organ of a subject for diagnosis and prognosis of pathology or injury to the organ, where unaffected portions of the organ are used as a reference for assessing activity of afflicted areas of the organ.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for imaging activity of an organ of a subject for diagnosis and prognosis of pathology or injury to the organ, where unaffected portions of the organ are used as a reference for assessing activity of afflicted areas of the organ.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for imaging activity of an organ of a subject for diagnosis and prognosis of pathology or injury to the organ, where unaffected portions of the organ are used as a reference for assessing activity of afflicted areas of the organ.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for imaging activity of an organ of a subject for diagnosis and prognosis of pathology or injury to the organ, where unaffected portions of the organ are used as a reference for assessing activity of afflicted areas of the organ.

Abstract: A probe or sheath for use on a probe for detecting and removing radioactively tagged tissue, e.g., a sentinel lymph node, within the body of a living being. The probe or sheath and probe is arranged to be inserted through a small percutaneous portal into the patient's body and is movable to various positions adjacent the tagged tissue to detect the presence of radiation therefrom so that it can be positioned immediately adjacent that tissue to ensnare or trap that tissue. The probe or sheath and probe can then be removed from the being's body, carrying the tagged tissue with it. The probe may be constructed to make use of a scintillation crystal, a collimator, adjustable or fixed, and a backshielding lightpipe. A blunt dissecting device is provided as part of the sheath or as part of the probe itself to aid in separating the tagged tissue from adjacent tissue without injury to the adjacent tissue. The probe may be a fully integrated, self-powered unit.

Abstract: A probe or sheath for use on a probe for detecting and removing radioactively tagged tissue, e.g., a sentinel lymph node, within the body of a living being. The probe or sheath and probe is arranged to be inserted through a small percutaneous portal into the patient's body and is movable to various positions adjacent the tagged tissue to detect the presence of radiation therefrom so that it can be positioned immediately adjacent that tissue to ensnare or trap that tissue. The probe or sheath and probe can then be removed from the being's body, carrying the tagged tissue with it. The probe may be constructed to make use of a scintillation crystal, a collimator, adjustable or fixed, and a backshielding lightpipe. A blunt dissecting device is provided as part of the sheath or as part of the probe itself to aid in separating the tagged tissue from adjacent tissue without injury to the adjacent tissue. The probe may be a fully integrated, self-powered unit.

Abstract: Methods for conducting an operation on a living organism are provided, including methods in which a channel is provided around a tissue of the organism, and an encapsulating composition is infused into the channel to encapsulate the tissue in a capsule. The capsule impedes materials encapsulated therein from migrating to other tissues outside the capsule. Also provided are apparatuses for performing methods of the invention. In addition, an improved method of radiation therapy, in which a locally persistent radiation enhancing agent, such as iron dextran or colloidal chromic phosphate P-32, is administered in or near a tissue to be treated, is provided. The methods and apparatuses are especially useful in the treatment and removal of tumors.

Abstract: A method for identifying a sentinel node is provided. The method includes injecting tumor-bearing tissue with a marking composition, radiating marking-agent-targeting energy into suspect tissues potentially harboring the sentinel node, and detecting a lymph node within the suspect tissues first infiltrated by the marking agent. The method is conducted without detecting radioactivity, and thus avoids the health and environmental problems posed by methods based on detecting radiolabels. Moreover, the method obviates the need for surgical dissection to initially detect potential sentinel nodes. Also provided are systems for performing the method and compositions for use in the method.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnostic testing of structures within a body, e.g., organs within the body of a living being, which has been provided with a radioactive imaging agent, e.g., a radiotracer, to cause the structure to produce gamma rays, associated characteristic x rays, and a continuum of Compton-scattered photons. The system includes a radiation receiving device, e.g., a hand-held probe or camera, an associated signal processor, and an analyzer. The radiation receiving device is arranged to be located adjacent the body and the structure for receiving gamma rays and characteristic x rays emitted from the structure and for providing a processed electrical signal representative thereof. The processed electrical signal includes a first portion representing the characteristic x rays received and a second portion representing the gamma rays received.

Abstract: A probe for detecting and removing radioactively tagged tissue, e.g., a sentinel lymph node, within the body of a living being. The probe is arranged to be inserted through a small percutaneous portal into the patient's body and is movable to various positions adjacent the tagged tissue to detect the presence of radiation therefrom so that the probe can be positioned immediately adjacent that tissue to ensnare or trap it. The probe can then be removed from the being's body, carrying the tagged tissue with it. The probe may be constructed to make use of a scintillation crystal, a collimator, adjustable or fixed, and a backshielding lightpipe.

Abstract: A system for detecting and destroying living tumor tissue within the body of a living being. The system is arranged to be used with a tumor localizing radiopharmaceutical. The system includes a percutaneously insertable radiation detecting probe, an associated analyzer, and a percutaneously insertable tumor removing instrument, e.g., a resectoscope. The radiation detecting probe includes a needle unit having a radiation sensor component therein and a handle to which the needle unit is releasably mounted. The needle is arranged to be inserted through a small percutaneous portal into the patient's body and is movable to various positions within the suspected tumor to detect the presence of radiation indicative of cancerous tissue. The probe can then be removed and the tumor removing instrument inserted through the portal to destroy and/or remove the cancerous tissue.

Abstract: A system and method for providing external therapy radiation to radioactively tagged cancerous tissue via a radiation therapy machine. The system includes at least one radiation detector, e.g., a probe or gamma camera, and an analyzer, which is(are) arranged to be mounted with respect to the radiation therapy machine so that it(they) is(are) located adjacent the patient for receiving gamma rays and characteristic x rays emitted from the tagged cancerous tissue and for providing a signal representative thereof to the analyzer. The signal includes a first portion representing the characteristic x rays received from the tagged tissue and a second portion representing the gamma rays received therefrom. The portion of the signal corresponding to Compton-scattered photons is removed in the region of the full-energy gamma ray and in the region of the characteristic x ray.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor can operate on either liquid fuel or gaseous fuel while maintaining low levels of nitrous oxide emissions. An upstream end of each of a plurality of mixing tubes includes an external manifold that is supplied with gaseous fuel. The gaseous fuel is injected into the mixing tubes through a plurality of orifices with sufficient momentum to be uniformly distributed across the flow path of each mixing tube. The optimum fuel/air ratio for low nitrous oxide emissions does not exceed seventy five percent (75%) of the stoichiometric ratio for a given fuel.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnostic testing of structures within a body, e.g., organs within the body of a living being, which has been provided with a radioactive imaging agent, e.g., a radiotracer, to cause the structure to produce gamma rays, associated characteristic x rays, and a continuum of Compton-scattered photons. The system includes a radiation receiving device, e.g., a hand-held probe or camera, an associated signal processor, and an analyzer. The radiation receiving device is arranged to be located adjacent the body and the structure for receiving gamma rays and characteristic x rays emitted from the structure and for providing a processed electrical signal representative thereof. The processed electrical signal includes a first portion representing the characteristic x rays received and a second portion representing the gamma rays received.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing audible signals, which are representative of the level of detected radiation from a probe, and which are statistically valid. The output of a radiation detector is a series of pulses, which are counted for a predetermined amount of time. At least two count ranges are defined by circuitry in the apparatus and the count range which includes the input count is determined. For each count range, an audible signal is produced which is audibly discriminable from the audible signal produced for every other count range. The mean values of each count range are chosen to be statistically different, e.g., 1, 2, or 3 standard deviations, from the mean of adjacent lower or higher count ranges. The parameters of the audible signal, such as frequency, voice, repetition rate, and/or intensity are changed for each count range to provide a signal which is discriminable from the signals of any other count range.

Abstract: A biopsy probe for detecting radiation emanating from a hidden source in a patient. The probe comprises a body member formed of a radiation blocking material and having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion. The proximal end portion is arranged to be held in the hand of a user. The probe comprises a radiation detector, e.g., a scintillation crystal, located within the distal portion of body member, a first radiation transparent window located at the distal end of the body member confronting the detector and through which radiation may pass to the detector, and a passageway extending through the distal end portion of the body member centered in the window and the detecting means. The passageway is arranged to guide a thin instrument, e.g., a biopsy needle, therethrough when the distal end portion is oriented in a direction toward the hidden source of radiation. A disposable cover/shield is also provided for releasable securement to the distal end of the probe to protect it from contamination.

Abstract: A shield for use with a radiation detecting probe to effect the detection, localization, imaging or mapping of radiation in a first portion of the body of a living being by use of a hand held, radiation detecting probe. The probe has a conical field of view. The shield comprises a sheet formed of a radiation blocking material, e.g., pure tungsten, tungsten alloys, tungsten powder suspended in gold, pure gold, gold alloys, pure platinum, and platinum-iridium alloys, and is sized to be readily located within a space within the body of the being so that the first portion of the body of the being is interposed between it and the probe, with the shield filling up a substantial portion of the field of view of the probe. In one embodiment the shield is mounted on the probe by an adjustable yoke assembly. In another embodiment the shield is separate from the probe.