Dosimetrically customizable brachytherapy carriers and methods thereof in the treatment of tumors

1 . A method comprising:

embedding at least one radioactive seed into each of a plurality of 1-8 millimeter thick bio-compatible elongate arms extending distally from a central region of an implantable radioactive seed carrier, wherein the elongate arms are not attached to one another at their distal ends opposite the central region, wherein the radioactive seeds are embedded at fixed locations within the elongate arms of the radioactive seed carrier;

positioning the radioactive seed carrier at least partially within a surgically created or surgically accessible cavity of a mammal, wherein the elongate arms are at least partially flexible;

placing a placement tool in contact with the radioactive seed carrier at the central region;

expanding the placement tool to flex the elongate arms in a manner that at least portions of outer surfaces of the elongate arms conform to walls of the surgically created or surgically accessible cavity; and

with the elongate arms of the radioactive seed carrier flexed to conform to walls of the cavity, withdrawing the placement tool, leaving the radioactive seed carrier positioned entirely within the cavity.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

trimming at least a portion of at least one of the elongate arms.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the elongate arms has a uniform width.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising robotically controlling the placement tool.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling the placement tool by hand.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the radioactive seed carrier includes between 3 and 8 elongate arms.

7 . A method comprising:

providing an implantable radioactive seed carrier having a plurality of 1-8 millimeter thick bio-compatible elongate portions extending radially from a central region, each of the elongate portions having a width proximal the central region that is narrower than a width distal the central region;

wherein the elongate portions are not attached to one another distal the central region;

embedding at least one radioactive seed into each of the plurality of elongate portions, wherein the radioactive seeds are embedded at fixed locations within the elongate portions of the radioactive seed carrier;

with the radioactive seeds embedded at fixed locations in the elongate portions of the radioactive seed carrier, positioning the radioactive seed carrier at least partially within a surgically created or surgically accessible cavity of a mammal with a placement tool configured to engage with the central region of the radioactive seed carrier and/or one or more of the elongate portions of the radioactive seed carrier; and

moving the elongate portions with the placement tool to engage and conform to walls of the surgically created or surgically accessible cavity.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

trimming at least a portion of at least one of the elongate portions.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the width of each of the elongate portions proximal the central region is fixed, wherein the width of each of the elongate portions distal the central region is fixed.

10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising positioning the radioactive seed carrier with the placement tool under control of a robot.

11 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising positioning the radioactive seed carrier with the placement tool by hand.

12 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the radioactive seed carrier includes between 3 and 8 elongate portions.

13 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the radioactive seed carrier includes one or more trim lines.

14 . A method comprising:

positioning a bio-compatible radioactive seed carrier for engagement with a surgical placement device, the radioactive seed carrier having a plurality of peripheral portions each having one or more radioactive seeds embedded therein, wherein the plurality of peripheral portions are connected at a central region and not attached to one another distal the central region;

engaging a tip of the surgical placement device with the central region of the radioactive seed carrier;

moving the surgical placement device to insert the radioactive seed carrier within a surgically created cavity of a mammal;

attaching the radioactive seed carrier to tissue of the mammal in the surgically created cavity;

by the peripheral portions, maintaining positions of the radioactive seeds a predefined distance from the tissue of the mammal; and

withdrawing the surgical placement device, leaving the radioactive seed carrier within the surgically created cavity of the mammal.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

trimming at least a portion of the radioactive seed carrier.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising robotically controlling the surgical placement device.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising controlling the surgical placement device by hand.

18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the radioactive seed carrier includes between 3 and 8 peripheral portions.