Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
33 words
A TISSUE IRRADIATOR COMPRISING: A RADIOISOTOPE MATERIAL CONTAINED IN, DISPERSED THROUGH, AND ENCAPSULATED BY A FIRST PORTION OF VITREOUS CARBON, WHICH PORTION IS SURROUNDED AND ENCAPSULATED BY A CONTAINMENT PORTION OF VITREOUS CARBON.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
33 words
A TISSUE IRRADIATOR COMPRISING: A RADIOISOTOPE MATERIAL CONTAINED IN, DISPERSED THROUGH, AND ENCAPSULATED BY A FIRST PORTION OF VITREOUS CARBON, WHICH PORTION IS SURROUNDED AND ENCAPSULATED BY A CONTAINMENT PORTION OF VITREOUS CARBON.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A tissue irradiator in accordance with claim 1 for irradiating blood, wherein said containment portion of vitreous carbon is a cylindrical body having an axial bore therethrough, said radioisotope-containing vitreous carbon portion lies cylindrically about said bore and fully within said vitreous carbon containment body, and wherein said irradiator further comprises means for passing blood through said bore.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
68 words
An in-vivo blood irradiator in accordance with claim 2 further comprising: a metal shielding layer surrounding the exterior of said vitreous carbon containment body; and wherein said means for passing blood through said bore comprise connectors associated with each of the two ends of said bore, said connectors communicating through said bore, said connectors passing through said surrounding metal layer, and said connectors permitting connection to blood-carrying vessels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The in-vivo blood irradiator of claim 3 further comprising: a pyrolytic graphite tube passing through said bore and joining said connectors at the two ends of said bore.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The in-vivo blood irradiator of claim 4 wherein said radioisotope is thulium-170.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The in-vivo blood irradiator of claim 5 wherein said thulium-170 is present in the form of Tm2O3.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of making a tissue irradiator comprising: a. dispersing a radiation source material withiN a curable resinous material; b. forming a shaped body of said curable resinous material containing said radiation source material and subsequently curing said resinous material; c. surrounding said shaped body by coating the surfaces of said body with additional amounts of said curable resinous material and subsequently curing said additional resinous material so as to contain said radiation source material within a shaped structure; d. firing said resulting shaped structure so as to convert said resinous material to vitreous carbon thereby completely encapsulating said radiation source material within said vitreous carbon.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of making a tissue irradiator comprising: a. dispersing a radiation source material withiN a curable resinous material; b. forming a shaped body of said curable resinous material containing said radiation source material and subsequently curing said resinous material; c. surrounding said shaped body by coating the surfaces of said body with additional amounts of said curable resinous material and subsequently curing said additional resinous material so as to contain said radiation source material within a shaped structure; d. firing said resulting shaped structure so as to convert said resinous material to vitreous carbon thereby completely encapsulating said radiation source material within said vitreous carbon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said resinous material which is carbonized is polyfurfuryl alcohol.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said radiation source material is Tm2O3 and which includes thulium-170.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said radiation source material is 169Tm2O3 and wherein said device is bombarded with neutrons so as to convert a portion of the thulium-169 to thulium-170 through neutron activation.