Monitoring of convection enhanced drug delivery
A method for determining a response of a tissue to a destructive treatment is disclosed. The method comprises providing magnetic resonance images of the tissue, and using the magnetic resonance images for determining the response of the tissue to the destructive treatment. Also disclosed is a method for monitoring convection during direct convective interstitial infusion using a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a therapeutic agent and an MRI contrast agent.
1 - 75 . (canceled)
76 . A method of determining a response of a tissue to a destructive treatment, the method comprising providing magnetic resonance images of the tissue, and using said magnetic resonance images for determining the response of the tissue to the destructive treatment.
77 . The method of claim 76 , wherein said destructive treatment comprises a convection-enhanced drug delivery.
78 . The method of claim 76 , further comprising imaging the tissue.
79 . The method of claim 78 , wherein said imaging is effected by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.
80 . The method of claim 78 , wherein said imaging is effected by T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.
81 . The method of claim 78 , further comprising administrating an MRI contrast agent to the tissue prior to said imaging of the tissue.
82 . A method of generating a catheter acceptance map for convection-enhanced drug delivery into an organ, the method comprising providing at least one image of the organ, analyzing said at least one image so as to identify different regions corresponding to different catheter acceptance levels for efficient convection, and marking said regions so as to allow distinction between said different regions, thereby generating the catheter acceptance map for convection-enhanced drug delivery into the organ).
83 . A catheter acceptance map of an organ, comprising at least one image of the organ having distinctly marked regions, each corresponding to a different catheter acceptance levels for efficient convection via convection-enhanced drug delivery.
84 . The method of claim 82 , wherein said at least one image comprises at least one of: a magnetic resonance image, a single photon emission computed tomography image, a positron emission tomography and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance image.
85 . A method of monitoring convection during direct convective interstitial infusion, the method comprising:
providing a pharmaceutical composition which comprises a therapeutic agent and an MRI contrast agent, the pharmaceutical composition is in liquid form; and
pressuring said pharmaceutical composition through at least one direct convective interstitial infusion catheter into an interstitial volume of a tissue;
imaging a region containing the tissue by MRI thereby providing at least one image of said region; and
using said at least one image for monitoring the convection of said therapeutic agent within the tissue.
86 . The method of claim 85 , wherein said using said at least one image for monitoring the convection comprises comparing the images with baseline images.
87 . The method of claim 85 , wherein said using said at least one image for monitoring the convection comprises correlating intensity level the images with level of presence of said therapeutic agent.
88 . The method of claim 85 , wherein said using said at least one image for monitoring the convection comprises correlating intensity level the images with a concentration of said therapeutic agent.
89 . The method of claim 85 , wherein said using said at least one image for monitoring the convection comprises calculating distribution volume of said pharmaceutical composition.
90 . The method of claim 85 , wherein said using said at least one image for monitoring the convection comprises calculating expansion rate of said pharmaceutical composition.
91 . The method of claim 85 , wherein said using said at least one image for monitoring the convection comprises determining a direction of expansion of said pharmaceutical composition.
92 . The method of claim 85 , wherein said using said at least one image for monitoring the convection comprises detection backflow of said pharmaceutical composition along said at least one direct convective interstitial infusion catheter.
93 . The method of claim 85 , wherein said using said at least one image for monitoring the convection comprises detection leakage of said pharmaceutical composition into low resistance paths.
94 . A system for determining a response of a tissue to a destructive treatment, the system comprising an MRI apparatus for providing magnetic resonance images of the tissue, and an image processing unit for processing said magnetic resonance images so as to determine the response of the tissue to the destructive treatment.
95 . The method of claim 76 , wherein said magnetic resonance images comprise diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images.
96 . The method of claim 76 , wherein said magnetic resonance images comprise T2-weighted magnetic resonance images.
97 . The method of claim 95 , wherein said determining the response of the tissue comprises calculating apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the tissue.
98 . The system of claim 94 , further comprising a destructive treatment apparatus for performing a destructive treatment.
99 . The method of claim 76 , wherein said destructive treatment comprises a convection-enhanced drug delivery.
100 . The method of claim 76 , wherein said destructive treatment comprises a systemic chemotherapy.
101 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the destructive treatment comprises destruction by gene therapy or gene-related therapy.
102 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the destructive treatment comprises a thermal treatment.
103 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the destructive treatment comprises cryotherapy.
104 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the destructive treatment comprises ablation.
105 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the destructive treatment comprises heat ablation.
106 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the destructive treatment comprises ultrasound ablation.
107 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the destructive treatment comprises RF ablation.
108 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the destructive treatment comprises a photodynamic therapy.
109 . The method of claim 76 , wherein the destructive treatment comprises an electrosurgical treatment.
110 . A system for monitoring convection during direct convective interstitial infusion, the system comprising:
an MRI apparatus for providing magnetic resonance images of a region containing the tissue;
at least one direct convective interstitial infusion catheter for delivering at least one pharmaceutical composition having a therapeutic agent dissolved or dispersed in a liquid pharmaceutical carrier and at least one MRI contrast agent; and
an image processing unit for processing said magnetic resonance images so as to monitor the convection of said therapeutic agent within the tissue.
111 . The system of claim 110 , wherein said image processing unit is operable to compare said images with baseline images.
112 . The system of claim 110 , wherein said image processing unit is operable to correlate intensity level of said images with level of presence of said therapeutic agent.
113 . The system of claim 110 , wherein said image processing unit is operable to correlate intensity level of said images with a concentration of said therapeutic agent.
114 . The system of claim 110 , wherein said image processing unit is operable to calculate distribution volume of said pharmaceutical composition.
115 . The system of claim 110 , further comprising said pharmaceutical composition.
116 . The method of claim 85 , wherein said at least one MRI contrast agent has a T1 shortening effect.
117 . The method of claim 85 , wherein said at least one MRI contrast agent has a T2 shortening effect.
118 . The method of claim 116 , wherein said at least one MRI contrast agent comprises a diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA).
119 . The method of claim 116 , wherein said paramagnetic metal comprises Gadolinium (Gd).
120 . The method of claim 116 , wherein said at least one MRI contrast agent comprises Gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA).
121 . The method of claim 116 , wherein said images comprise T1-weighted magnetic resonance images.