Abstract: A manually operable afterloader is provided for use during radiation therapy treatment of a patient. The afterloader includes at least one source wire drum, for the receipt of a non-radioactive portion of a source wire, and a shield capsule having a passageway therethrough for receipt of a radioactive portion of a source wire. A cranking mechanism is provided to rotate the source wire drum and drive the radioactive source wire out of the shield capsule.

Abstract: An energy filtering system including an energy filtering material provided between a radioactive material and a treatment target such that radioactive energy is filtered. In a preferred embodiment, the filtering material is provided as a thin-walled layer, such as a micro-foil, mesh, helically wound spring, film, coating or stackable right-angle disks, among others, at one or more locations between the radioactive source and a treatment target, to filter the radiation energy during treatment. The filtering material may be a high-density material, such as platinum, applied or incorporated in a supporting structure between the radioactive material and the treatment target. The supporting structure may include a catheter having a treatment end, a source wire movable within the catheter, a stent or indeed, any structure positionable between a source of radiation and a treatment site.

Abstract: An energy filtering system including an energy filtering material provided between a radioactive material and a treatment target such that radioactive energy is filtered. In a preferred embodiment, the filtering material is provided as a thin-walled layer, such as a micro-foil, mesh, helically wound spring, film, coating or stackable right-angle disks, among others, at one or more locations between the radioactive source and a treatment target, to filter the radiation energy during treatment. The filtering material may be a high-density material, such as platinum, applied or incorporated in a supporting structure between the radioactive material and the treatment target. The supporting structure may include a catheter having a treatment end, a source wire movable within the catheter, a stent or indeed, any structure positionable between a source of radiation and a treatment site.

Abstract: A source wire for radiation treatment of diseases is provided, comprising a relatively long elongate flexible wire having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the wire having a wire end face substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the wire; a relatively short flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the tube being sealed, the tube having a tube end face at the proximal end and substantially perpendicular to the distal wire end face of the wire, the tube having an inner diameter defining a cavity; and a core capable of being irradiated to form at least one radioactive source positioned within the cavity.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of forming a radioactive sourcewire and a radioactive sourcewire formed according to the preferred method. The method generally includes providing a substantially thick walled tubular member and drilling or counterboring an enlarged cavity in a distal end of the tubular member. A radioactive source is inserted into the tubular member and the distal end of the cavity is sealed shut. During drilling of the cavity, material removed from the inside of the cavity may be allowed to flow to the space between the bore of the tubular member and the cavity thereby to form a plug. Finally, the proximal end of the tubular member may be sealed shut.

Abstract: A flexible source wire is provided containing a radioactive source that is capable of maneuvering through a tortuous narrow passage to a treatment site within the body. This source wire includes an elongated flexible housing tube with its proximal end (i.e., the treatment end) modified to receive a radioactive core. The preferred embodiment of the source wire is constructed from a material exhibiting little or no memory retention when bent such as certain nickel/titanium alloys. Both ends of the source wire are sealed and the proximal end of the source wire is rounded to allow ease of movement as it travels through the bends and turns in the body.

Abstract: A manually operable afterloader is provided for use during radiation therapy treatment of a patient. The afterloader includes at least one source wire drum, for the receipt of a non-radioactive portion of a source wire, and a shield capsule having a passageway therethrough for receipt of a radioactive portion of a source wire. A cranking mechanism is provided to rotate the source wire drum and drive the radioactive source wire out of the shield capsule.

Abstract: There is provided a manually operable afterloader (100) for use during radiation therapy treatment of a patient. The afterloader (100) includes a sourcewire reel (112) having a circumferential groove, dual sized or stepped (188), for receipt of a non-radioactive portion of a sourcewire (130) and a shield capsule (154) having a passageway therethrough for receipt of a radioactive portion of a source wire (130). A cranking mechanism (163) is provided to rotate the sourcewire reel (112) and drive the radioactive sourcewire (130) out of the shield capsule (154).

Abstract: A flexible source wire is provided containing a radioactive source that is capable of maneuvering through a tortuous narrow passage to a treatment site within the body. This source wire includes an elongated flexible housing tube with its proximal end (i.e., the treatment end) modified to receive a radioactive core. The preferred embodiment of the source wire is constructed from a material exhibiting little or no memory retention when bent such as certain nickel/titanium alloys. Both ends of the source wire are sealed and the proximal end of the source wire is rounded to allow ease of movement as it travels through the bends and turns in the body.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a radioactive core to be integrated within a source wire for use in radiation treatment of tumors within the body of a patient utilizes a thin elongate fiber of substantially pure iridium encapsulated in a straight quartz tube substantially transparent to the flux of a beam of radiation. The iridium fiber is oriented lengthwise along the axis of the tube, so that the fiber is restrained from curling. The tube and the fiber therein are irradiated with a beam directed normal to the axis of the tube while rotating the tube about the axis, to render the fiber radioactive to a predetermined level of activity. The method is adapted to produce a generally cylindrical Ir-192 source having a longitudinal axis of symmetry, a length of about one centimeter, a diameter of about 0.35 millimeter, a weight of about 20 milligrams and a radioactivity level of at least approximately 10 curies.

Abstract: A method of forming implantable low dose solid radioactive segments of desired lengths sealed against end leakage of radioactive particles, for use in brachytherapy of malignant tumors. The segments are separated from a single continuous elongate assembly of composite material which includes a continuous solid radioactive elongate core at least partly composed of iridium, sufficiently brittle to break cleanly when cut transverse to its longitudinal axis, encased along substantially its entire longitudinal surface in a sheath having a predetermined thickness and composed of substantially pure platinum or other metal which is malleable relative to the hardness of the core and, when irradiated, has a half-life much shorter than that of the core.

Abstract: A composite source wire for use in treating malignant tumors within a patient's body by localized in vivo radiation with a radioactive source, via a catheter providing a path from a point external to the body to the tumor site. The source wire includes a thin continuous cylindrical flexible elongate stainless steel tube having encased therein a backbone wire running from its proximal end to a point short of its distal end to strengthen and enhance its flexibility, a cylindrical radioactive core adjacent to the distal end in abutting relation to the backbone wire, and a cylindrical plug at the distal end in abutting relation to the other end of the core, with the backbone wire, core and plug being tightly secured within the tube and the tube being securely enclosed about the plug with a tapered tip portion formed at that point.

Abstract: A device for installing a catheter in a patient's body for use in delivery of a radioactive source to and from the site of a tumor so that it may be shrunk. The device includes a catheter and apparatus for implanting the catheter through the tumor site so that the distal end of the catheter extends beyond the site, with the proximal end exposed externally of the body to permit entry and withdrawal of the radioactive source. A selectively deployable anchor at the distal end of the catheter is adapted to penetrate body tissue at the distal end beyond the tumor site when the anchor is deployed. Consequently, the distal end of the catheter will be securely anchored to maintain a substantially constant lineal depth from the proximal end of the catheter to the tumor site. The radioactive source can then be driven through the catheter to the tumor site to irradiate the tumor for a prescribed period, and then withdrawn.

Abstract: A source wire for delivery of a radioactive source to the site of a deep body tumor via a relatively narrow passageway includes a relatively thin elongate flexible tube, a solid core running through substantially the entire length of the tube and at least slightly beyond one end of it to strengthen it against collapse while maintaining its flexibility, and a relatively short rigid sleeve overlying the exposed portion of the core and abutting that end of the tube. The sleeve extends at least slightly beyond the otherwise exposed core to accept insertion of the cylindrical filament-like radioactive source to abut against the core. The outer diameter of the sleeve is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the tube and to that of a sheath which overlies the radioactive source and abuts against the end of the sleeve opposite to that abutting the end of the tube. The sleeve is welded to the core and crimped onto the radiactive source for substantially permanent engagement therebetween.

Abstract: A IR-192 platinum wire implant includes a core area 0.1 mm in diameter, comprised of 25 percent iridium and 75 percent platinum. This core area is encased in a 100 percent platinum sheath of 0.15 mm thickness in cross-section and 0.075 mm thickness at its end portions. Therefore, the entire implant insert is 0.4 mm in diameter. Further, the iridium/platinum composite implant includes means for allowing it to be cut to any length desired so that cutting of the composite metal through cross-section would effectively squeeze the 0.15 mm sheath coating around the end portion of the iridium/platinum core and effectively achieve the 0.075 mm thickness at the end portion, thus sealing the end portion of the implant . There would further be provided a method for achieving the cutting of the composite implants to various pre-determined lengths and maintaining the sealed end portions upon completion of the cut.