Non-invasive method for focal deep-brain stimulation equipment and methodologies
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10888243-B2
Publication Date
2021-01-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed embodiments enable equipment and methodologies that generate a magnetic field using at least one coil under the control of a controller and transduce radio-frequency energy into lower-frequency current or voltage under control of the controller for application to tissue in a subject's body, whereby the transduction produces a lower-field current or voltage that has an effect upon the subject's body tissue.
Core Innovation
Embodiments disclose an apparatus that uses at least one emitting device positioned near a human subject to generate electromagnetic radiation, and at least one functional particle whose action is sensitive to the frequency of the emitted electromagnetic radiation. The functional particle converts incident electromagnetic radiation into electrical current or voltage, where the conversion efficiency depends on a surrounding magnetic field strength.
The surrounding magnetic field is Earth's magnetic field, and the emitting device is configured to be located within 1 meter of tissue in a body of the subject and outside the subject's body. The functional particle is configured to be located inside the subject's body, and the electrical current or voltage has an effect upon tissue within the subject's body.
In a related method, at least one functional particle is propelled to a desired location in a human subject's body under imaging guidance. The method includes subsequently generating electromagnetic or magnetic radiation at a specific frequency from an emitting device placed within one meter of the subject's body, where the functional particle is most efficient at coupling energy at or near the specific frequency at Earth's magnetic field, and the resulting electrical current or voltage affects tissues in the subject's body.
The system further includes magnetically guided, imaging-guided delivery of functional particles, including using magnetic resonance imaging gradients for transport and altering a static magnetic field under MRI. Embodiments also describe spintronic devices as the functional particle, with frequency-selective energy coupling that depends on Earth's magnetic field, and may include additional functional effects of the generated electrical current or voltage upon tissue.
Claims Coverage
The document contains two independent claims, covering an apparatus for affecting tissue using an external emitter, an internal functional particle, and magnetic-field-dependent conversion efficiency relative to Earth's magnetic field, and a method that propels such a functional particle to a target location under imaging guidance and then generates radiation at a frequency at or near the particle’s Earth-magnetic-field-coupling frequency to cause a tissue effect.
Earth-field-dependent radiation-to-electrical conversion for tissue effects
An apparatus with at least one emitting device near a human subject generating electromagnetic radiation and at least one functional particle whose action is sensitive to the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation, where the functional particle converts incident electromagnetic radiation into electrical current or voltage with an efficiency that depends on a surrounding magnetic field strength, the magnetic field being Earth's magnetic field, and the electrical current or voltage having an effect upon tissue within the subject's body.
External emitter within 1 meter and internal functional particle within the subject
The apparatus is configured so that the at least one emitting device is located within 1 meter of tissue in a body of the subject and outside the subject's body, and the at least one functional particle is configured to be located inside the subject's body, with the electrical current or voltage affecting tissue within the subject's body.
Imaging-guided propulsion and subsequent Earth-frequency radiation generation to affect tissues
A method of affecting tissue where at least one functional particle is propelled to a desired location in a human subject's body under imaging guidance, and subsequently electromagnetic or magnetic radiation is generated at a specific frequency from an emitting device placed within one meter of the subject's body, where the functional particle is most efficient at coupling energy at or near the specific frequency at Earth's magnetic field, and where the functional particle converts incident electromagnetic radiation into electrical current or voltage with an efficiency that depends on surrounding magnetic field strength, and the electrical current or voltage has an effect on tissues in the subject's body.
The independent claims collectively define an external emitting device positioned within one meter of tissue and an internal functional particle that converts emitted electromagnetic radiation into electrical current or voltage, with efficiency dependent on the surrounding magnetic field strength and specifically using Earth's magnetic field. They further require that the functional particle action depends on the emitted radiation frequency and that the resulting electrical current or voltage affects tissue, with the method additionally requiring imaging-guided propulsion of the functional particle to a desired location before radiation generation.
Stated Advantages
Efficiency of transduction depends on surrounding magnetic field strength and is described as peaking under Earth's magnetic field.
Documented Applications
Non-invasive deep-brain stimulation/modulation using functional particles whose RF-to-electrical conversion depends on Earth's magnetic field strength.
Imaging-guided delivery/transport of functional particles to a desired location for tissue effects using MRI-guided guidance.
Electroporation or cancer-cell elimination as tissue effects associated with the functional particle receiving radiation and producing electrical current or voltage.
Neuron stimulation or modulation as a tissue/cell context described as electrically-active cells being neurons.
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