CPC field-specific training · 2018. 11. 19. · CPC field-specific training MAGNETOTHERAPY (A61N2); RADIATION THERAPY (A61N5) Ewa Beck Examiner, European Patent Office June 2018

CPC field-specific training

MAGNETOTHERAPY (A61N2); RADIATION THERAPY (A61N5)

Ewa Beck June 2018Examiner, European Patent Office

European Patent Office 2

Table of contents

▪ Introduction

▪ Therapy in A61N in comparison with surgery

and diagnosis in A61B

▪ A61N2 – main subclasses and examples

▪ A61N5 – main subclasses

▪ A61N5/02 – overview and examples




Introduction

A61N and A61B in the CPC hierarchy


Introduction

A61N in the CPC hierarchy; Main Groups in A61N


Introduction

Electromagnetic radiationSource:

http://www.hearingreview.com/2017/06/wir

eless-hearing-aids-present-health-risk/


Introduction

Laser-Tissue InteractionsSource:

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/9

78-3-642-03438-1_2


Table of contents

▪ Introduction









Therapy in A61N in comparison with surgery and diagnosis in A61B

A61B Surgery vs. A61N Therapy

A61N NOTE derived from the IPC :

In this subclass,... "therapy" implies that

the treatment, when it aims at destroying

sick or abnormal cells, is performed within

the limits of healthy cell life, the

destruction thereof being undesired,

contrary to that which takes place with

instruments, devices or methods covered

by group A61B 18/00.

A61N Definitions:

Subclass A61N provides for medical treatment-type therapy by apparatus or

methods utilizing forms of energy other than direct mechanical energy when they

are not used for surgical purposes and they are intended to ... destroy, control, or

advance the recovery of sick or abnormal cells within body tissue while minimizing

undesirable destruction of adjoining healthy cells, or ...

A61B Definitions:

Surgery consists of the following medical procedures:

▪ ...

▪ repairing (e.g., fastening skin together, removing cancerous tissue) bodies, ...

These statements, however, do not accurately reflect some therapeutic

procedures under A61N:

A61N5/062, A61N5/10, A61N7/02, A61N2007/008, A61N2007/003 : concomitant

damage of healthy cells hardly avoidable and also in A61B17-18 the

undesirable destruction of tissue is to be minimized.

A61N7 ultrasound can also be seen as mechanical energy.



A61N 5/00 Radiation therapy

Surgery in A61B18/18 vs. Therapy in A61N5

In contrast to the therapeutic applications covered A61N5, surgery in A61B18/18 is

characterized by the immediate and direct destruction, transformation or

removal of the tissue (ablation, vaporization, coagulation...).

A61N5 also covers the applications where the effect in the tissue is induced with

rather lower intensity and power levels and/or longer pulse durations (photothermal,

photochemical reactions, biostimulation...). Thus, for instance, cell destruction by

photoactivation of an agent is to be classified in A61N5/062. Some devices may be

used for both applications depending on the operation mode.

Note that A61N5/1084 covers focused radiotherapy applications like "gamma knife"

and stereotactic radiotherapy which are sometimes also called "radiosurgery", which

is not to be confused with surgery in the sense of A61B18/00. When applying

ionizing radiation in A61N5/10, the killing and removal of the tumor cells is not

achieved immediately but on a longer time-scale (days-weeks) by inducing

apoptosis via generation of radicals incompatible with cell life and/or denaturalization

of the cell DNA.



A61B Diagnosis vs. A61N Therapy

Not to be interpreted as

excluding classification

in A61N when appropriate

(and vice versa) !

A61N Definitions derived from IPC:

Subclass A61B ... also provides for any surgical or diagnostic apparatus or methods that would otherwise be proper for subclass A61H or A61N when the apparatus or methods are used for both purposes or combined together. In particular, subclass A61B provides for surgical instruments, devices, or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body (e.g., electromagnetic radiation surgery) to alter or repair it....

A61B Definitions derived from IPC:

Subclass A61B also provides for any surgical or identification apparatus or methods when▪ the apparatus or methods are combined with diagnosis means or▪ the apparatus can be used for diagnosis and either surgery or identification.

A61B additionally provides for any diagnostic apparatus or methods combined with therapy apparatus or method normally covered by subclass A61H or A61N when

▪ the same apparatus or methods are used for both purposes or▪ combined together but only useable separately. ...Subclass A61N provides for diagnostic means or steps that are combined with medical treatment therapy apparatus or methods ... when the means or step is used solely for operational feedback purposes to enhance therapy.




ultrasound therapy A61N 7/00;

devices or apparatus applicable

to both therapy and diagnosis

A61B 6/00

Diagnosis in A61B vs. Therapy in A61N5

As previously indicated, the combination of both therapy and diagnosis is classified

not only in A61B. In CPC both aspects are considered and eventually classified

independently.

Relevant therapeutic aspects → A61N.

Relevant diagnostic aspects → A61B.

Double classification should be applied whenever both aspects are related to the

invention and/or are considered by the classifier to be of interest for search.

Note that the imaging or detection systems that merely serve to monitor the

treatment, e.g. surveillance of patient or instrument position, eventually to be used

as operational feedback to steer the treatment, may be relevant for A61N only

(e.g. 5/1049 breakdown ), as long as they do not provide information of diagnostic

value nor disclose substantial details of the detection/imaging system.


Table of contents

▪ Introduction









A61N2Magnetotherapy


A61N2 – main subclasses and examples

A61N 2/00 Magnetotherapy

A61N 2/002 . { in combination with another treatment

A61N 2/004 . { specially adapted for a specific therapy

A61N 2/006 . . for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue

A61N 2/008 . . for pain treatment or analgesia

A61N 2/02 . using coils (A61N 2/12 takes precedence)

A61N 2/06 . using permanent magnets (A61N 2/12 takes precedence)

A61N 2/12 . using variable magnetic fields obtained by mechanical

movement

Try to allocate both the use aspect (e.g. A61N2/004/low, specific

therapy e.g. magnetic nerve stimulation) and the structural aspect

(e.g. A61N2/02 if the magnetic field is produced by coils)


A61N2 – main subclasses and examples

Example: US2013317281

Claim 1: A method of non-invasively treating pain by the application of Transcranial

Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) using multiple TMS electromagnets to

preferentially stimulate a patient's dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus relative to

cortical brain regions, the method comprising:

positioning a top TMS electromagnet with an apex of the TMS

electromagnet between about a Cz and Fz location on the patient's head;

positioning a front TMS electromagnet with an apex of the TMS

electromagnet between about an Fz and Fpz location on the patient's

head; and

modulating pain levels by applying stimulation from the top and front TMS

electromagnets to the dorsal anterior cingulate gyrus, wherein the Cz, Fz and

Fpz locations are determined using a standard 10-20 system for scalp

electrode placement.

A61N2/008 (magnetic stimulation for pain treatment) had been correctly identified

BUT the structural part of the invention should be also classified:

using coils → A61N2/02


Table of contents

▪ Introduction









A61N5Radiation therapy


A61N5 – main subclasses


Therapeutic treatment of the human or animal body with electromagnetic or particle radiation.

Therapy implies the curing of a disease or malfunction of the body and includes prophylactic treatment like killing of germs, bacteria in or on the body by means of radiation as well as treatment of symptoms like pain by means of radiation.

→ See list of neighbouring fields in the CPC Definitions

▪ The following neighbouring fields are often used to index relevant aspects when no suitable code is available in A61N5:

▪ A61B2018/00773 or A61B2017/00022 (feedback at the treatment site), A61B2018/00988 (service life counter),

▪ A61B2018/2255 (features at the distal end of a light guide, e.g. diffusers).

▪ A61B90/10-90, e.g. 90/10 (stereotaxic), 90/03 (abutting means), 90/04 (local shielding), A61B2090/065 (contact detection), 90/39 (markers)


A61N5 – main subclasses


. A61N2005/002{Cooling systemsapplies orthogonally to all A61N5

. A61N 5/01 Devices for producing movement of radiation source during therapy→ ( A61N5/1077 takes precedence )

. A61N 5/02 using microwaves no clear-cut of frequency range but roughly~ 300MHz - 300GHz (1m-1mm)

. A61N 5/06 using lightno clear-cut of wavelength range but roughly10 nm – 1 mm (124 eV – 1.24 meV)

. A61N 5/10

X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy;Particle-irradiation therapy (A61N 5/01 takes precedence; radiation diagnosis, e.g. combined with radiation therapy A61B6/00)Ionizing radiation (other than UV): KeV-MeV range, electrons, hadrons


Table of contents

▪ Introduction









A61N5/02Microwave therapy


A61N5/02 – overview and examples

A61N 5/02

A61N 5/02 . .

using microwavesA61N5/022… Apparatus adapted for a specific treatment

▪ A61N5/025... Warming the body

A61N2005/027… using a phased array

A61N5/04… Radiators for near field treatment

▪ A61N5/045... specially adapted for treatment

inside the body




Claim 11: A system to heat body portions using controlled microwave energy ...

[0024] ... Microwave power assembly 10 is axially translationally movable relative to supportunit 5, and repositionable with respect thereto by removing and replacing the appropriatesegments 7 and translationally moving microwave power assembly 10 to the desired axialposition. Microwave power assembly 10 comprises an annular support frame or housing 12and microwave power supply devices or sources 20 (e.g., magnetrons with antennas, notseparately labelled), that are affixed to support rings 15 via respective movable couplings 17and robotic arms 25, and adapted to move, alternately independently and in tandem (jointly)with one another, radially and/or circumferentially relative to support frame or housing 12, and translationally therewith.

[0029] ...the breathing port element (e.g., breathing mask) 30 can include means for detecting the temperature of air exhaled bysubject 1. The means for detecting the temperature of air exhaled by subject 1 are in electronic communication through line35 with central processor unit 40 to correlate and control microwave emission based on the temperature of air exhaled by subject 1.

[0039] Brain temperature during treatment must be maintained at safe levels.

[0030] Sprayers 400 and 401 each generate a fine mist of coolant to effect a rapidand controlled cooling of the brain of a patient, ...

Claim 16: Apparatus to cool the brain of a patient, ...


Table of contents

▪ Introduction









A61N5/06Light therapy



A61N 5/06

A61N 5/06 . .

Light therapyA61N 5/0601 . . {Apparatus for use inside the body e.g. blood vessels, body

cavities, interstitial

A61N 5/0613 . . {Apparatus adapted for a specific treatment e.g. tanning, skin, circadian, PDT, neurostimulation, sterilization, warming

A61N 2005/0626 . . Monitoring, verifying, controlling systems and methodse.g. sequential activation of sources in an array

A61N 2005/063 . . comprising light transmitting means, e.g. optical fibres

A61N 2005/0632 . . Constructional aspects of the apparatus, e.g. hinged arm mounting...

A61N 2005/0635 . . characterised by the body area to be irradiated (actually also a constructional aspect)

e.g. full-body (H/V), Handheld, Wearable

A61N 2005/065 . . Light sources therefor, e.g. LEDs, lampsconsider also lasers 2005/067 and polarization 2005/073( “..” listed to match IPC)

A61N 2005/0658 . . characterised by the wavelength (not necessary when 5/0614)

A61N 2005/0664 . . Details, e.g. reflectors, filters, adapted for moist environment



A61N 5/0601

A61N 5/0601 . .

Apparatus for use inside

the bodyA61N2005/0602... for treatment of blood vessels

A61N5/0603...for treatment of body cavities

▪ specified cavities

A61N2005/0612... using probes penetrating tissue; interstitial probes



A61N 5/0613

A61N 5/0613 . .

Apparatus adapted for

a specific treatment

A61N5/0614... Tanning

A61N5/0616... Skin treatment other than tanning

A61N5/0618... Psychological treatment

A61N5/0619... Acupuncture

A61N5/062... Photodynamic therapy

A61N5/0621... Hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice treatment

A61N5/0622... Optical stimulation for exciting neural tissue

A61N5/0624... for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body

A61N5/0625... Warming the body



A61N 2005/0635

A61N 2005/0635 . .

characterised by the body area

to be irradiated

A61N2005/0636... Irradiating the whole body

▪ A61N2005/0637... in a horizontal position

▪ A61N2005/064... in a vertical position

A61N2005/0642... Irradiating part of the body at a certain distance

A61N2005/0643... Applicators, probes irradiating specific body areas in

close proximity

▪ A61N2005/0644... Handheld applicators

▪ A61N2005/0645... Applicators worn by the patient

▪ A61N2005/0649... using suction to fix the

applicator to the tissue




[0041] ... the toothbrush 10 includes a handle at its proximal end to be held in the user's hand while using the toothbrush 10and a brush head 16, typically including one or more groups of bristles 18,... and one or more violet light emitters 20 thatemit violet light 22 in the 410 nm+/-10 nm and at an average power level of less than 5 watts. ... is highly effective indestroying potentially harmful bacteria, microorganisms and/or other contaminants or compounds without harming humancells contained within the mouth. [0042] ... In addition, the light emitting source or diode 26A can be either fixed and sealed to the brush head 16 adjacent thebristles 18, alternatively, the light emitting source or diode can be fixed and sealed with respect to the neck 26 of the handle 12.[0046].. with the violet light 22 being conducted along the handle to violet light emitters 20 located within the head 16 bymeans of violet light optical conductors 26B ...[0044] The presently preferred photocatalytic agents, for use with radiation within the 400 nm to 420 nm"violet light" band include, for example, modified TiO2 semiconductor type materials and possibly othercatalytic n-type semiconductor particles as well as various organic dyes already known in the art.[0046-47] The interior of head 16 includes a violet reflective surface 30 formed as facets30F wherein the violet light reflective properties of reflective surface 30 ...




[0001] The invention relates to the efficient modulation of circadian and related systems

using optimized wavelength light therapy delivered through eyelids of a subject

using a sleep mask.

[0026] The target of the light therapy plan are the intrinsically photosensitive Retinal

Ganglion Cells. The intrinsically photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells are a type

of nerve cell in the retina that do not participate directly in vision. ...

[0047] The timing and/or intensity are controlled by controller 56...

[0048] ... mask 10 may include one or more sensors 58 for sensing certain conditions

at or near a subject's eyes such as, for example, light levels, eye movement,

eyelid position, and/or other conditions...

[0052] ... to provide one or more of the following additional features: automated light

level titration, sleep stage/state dependent operation, eye-opening detection,

eye-movement detection, illuminance estimation, exposure time logging/

limitation, safety warning, safety shut down, and/or other functions




LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASEAbstract: Systems are provided for delivering visible or infrared biostimulatory energy to bone marrow to subjects havingor developing Alzheimer's disease. The radiation is delivered to sites remote from the brain at a dose sufficient to causestimulated mesenchymal stem cells to appear in the brain and degrade beta-amyloid. The energy may be coherent lightand can be administered transcutaneously, subcutaneously, or via an intramedullary probe.[0046] an appliance 28 for alignment of therapeutic laser output with desired locations in the human iliac bone 30 ...

to be fitted around the pelvic girdle of a patient ...[0047] ... appliance 28 may be elaborated into a body vest suitable for ... many bones simultaneously.[0048] ... non-invasive, or invasive...adapted to insertion through a skin puncture or incision. .... trephine that can

penetrate the cortex 24 for application directly into the medullary cavity 26, using known light-handlingtechniques such as fiberoptics.

[0050] ... the laser probe 12 may be fluid-cooled ... [0056] ... GaAlAs lasers, ... emission at 790-830 nm. ... 630-910 nm.


Table of contents

▪ Introduction









A61N5/10X-ray therapy;

Gamma-ray therapy;

Particle-irradiation therapy



A61N 5/10

A61N 5/10 . .

X-ray therapy;

Gamma-ray therapy;

Particle-irradiation therapy

A61N 5/1001 . . { Brachytherapy

intraluminal, intracavitary, interstitial, superficial

introduction means, sources

A61N 5/103 . . { Treatment planning

leaf sequence, 4D-image-based, adaptive, functional-image-based

[ ≠ 5/1053 , 5/1055 ]

A61N 5/1042 . . { Spatial modulation of the radiation beam (field) within the

treatment head.

scanning , MLC ( IMAT)

A61N 5/1048 . . { Monitoring, verifying, controlling

Position monitor (cf breakdown 2005/105- 2005/1062)

feedback (physiological gating, adjustment of beam or of

target position )

Dose delivery verification, QA phantoms, GUIs

A61N 5/1077 . . { Beam delivery systems: fixed, multi-room, gantries*, robotic,

multi-source

A61N 2005/1085 . . Type of particles applied to the patient

ions, protons, electrons, neutron, KV not MV

A61N 2005/1092 . . Details: Shielding, Filters, Wedges, Boluses, Immobilizers



A61N 5/1001

A61N 5/1001 . .

BrachytherapyA61N5/1002... Intraluminal radiation therapy

A61N5/1007...Arrangements and means for the introduction of

sources into the body

A61N5/1014... Intracavitary radiation treatment

▪ A61N5/1015... Treatment of resected cavities

created by surgery

▪ A61N5/1016... Gynecological radiation therapy

▪ A61N5/1017... Treatment of the eye

A61N5/1027... Interstitial radiation treatment

A61N2005/1019... Sources therefor

A61N5/1028...using radiation sources applied onto the body

▪ A61N5/1029... Radioactive dressings




[0001] The invention relates to a device for implementing endovascularbrachytherapy, whereby in the area of the catheter tip, a beta orgammaradiator used to prevent restenosis after the removal of plaque fromvessel walls emits radioactive radiation in order to suppress the structuralvessel alteration, with simultaneous OCT-monitoring.

[0029] The combined brachytherapy OCT catheter according to FIG.1 comprises a catheter sheath 1 with a radiator 3 arranged in the region of the rounded catheter tip 2, which can be configured as a beta radiator or also as a gamma radiator, whereby this radiator must not necessarily be designed in a wrap-around radiating manner, but can obviously also be configured such that it deliberately only radiates in one direction, whereby the radiation direction can be precisely adjusted by means of a rotatable diaphragm and/or by a corresponding twisting of the catheter sheath, according to the results achieved with the OCT examination of the inner wall of the vessel.

[0034] The typical process using a combined brachytherapy OCT catheter according to the invention is as follows; insertion of the catheter using X-ray monitoring.

Claim 24: The device according claim 14, further comprising a plurality of magnets arranged at the catheter tip allowing for a magnetic navigation of the device... an inflatable balloon and a balloon with several cavities can also be applied to the tip in order to position the radiator in the desired axial position and/or to retain it there



A61N 5/103

A61N 5/103 . .

Treatment planning systemsA61N5/1031... using a specific method of dose optimization

A61N5/1036... Leaf sequencing algorithm

A61N5/1037... taking into account the movement of the target

A61N5/1038...taking into account previously administered plans

applied to the same patient

A61N5/1039... using functional images, e.g. PET or MRI

A61N2005/1041...using a library of previously administered radiation

treatment applied to other patients



A61N 5/1042

A61N 5/1042 . .

with spatial modulation of

the radiation beam within the

treatment head

A61N5/1043... Scanning the radiation beam

▪ A61N5/1044... with multiple repetitions of

the scanning pattern

A61N5/1045... using a multi-leaf collimator, e.g. IMRT (intensity

modulated radiation therapy)

▪ A61N5/1047... with movement of the radiation

head during application of radiation, e.g. IMAT

(intensity modulated

arc therapy)



A61N 5/1048

A61N 5/1048 . .

Monitoring, verifying, controllingA61N5/1049... for verifying the position of the patient with respect

to the radiation beam

▪ subclasses for using different imaging modalities

A61N5/1064... for adjusting radiation treatment in response to

monitoring

▪ A61N5/1065... Beam adjustment

▪ A61N5/1068... Gating the beam as function of

physiological signal

▪ A61N5/1069... Target adjustment

A61N5/1071...for verifying the dose delivered by

the treatment plan

A61N5/1075... for testing, calibrating or quality assurance



A61N 5/1077

A61N 5/1077. .

Beam delivery systemsA61N5/1078... Fixed beam systems

A61N5/1079... Sharing beam by multiple treatment stations

A61N5/1081...

Rotating beam systems with a specific

mechanical construction

▪ A61N5/1082... having multiple beam rotation axes

A61N5/1083... Robot arm beam systems

A61N5/1084...for delivering multiple intersecting beams at the

same time




Not A61N5/1081 !Claim 14: System for delivering radiation treatment using single arc

dose painting, comprising ... a multiple leaf collimator having a plurality

of leafs for shaping the radiation beam; ...structure for generating an

unconstrained optimization map of intensity profiles of densely-spaced

radiation beams; ... structure for aligning each intensity profile to a pair

of multiple leaf collimation (MLC) leaves; and structure for applying a

shortest path algorithm, said, shortest path algorithm converting each

pair of MLC leaves to a set of leaf aperture sequences forming a

shortest path single arc thereof, said shortest path algorithm further

connecting each single arc of leaf apertures to form a final treatment

single arc effective for single arc dose painting. ...

Claim 15. ... the shortest path algorithm further adjusting a shape of the

leaf aperture as a radiation dose delivery angle changes along the final

treatment single arc.



Example: US5818902

Not A61N5/1081 !Utilizes continuous gantry motion in which field shape, which is

conformed with a multi-leaf collimator changes during gantry rotation.

Using multiple superimposing arcs, arbitrary two-dimensional beam

intensity distribution at different beam angles can be delivered,

giving arbitrary dose distribution in the patient to maximize the

therapeutic ratio.




Abstract: A system includes a patient support and an outer gantry on

which an accelerator is mounted to enable the accelerator to move

through a range of positions around a patient on the patient support.

The accelerator is configured to produce a proton or ion beam having

an energy level sufficient to reach a target in the patient. An inner

gantry includes an aperture for directing the proton or ion beam

towards the target.


Thank you for your attention!

Documents

CPC field-specific training · 2018. 11. 19. · CPC field-specific training MAGNETOTHERAPY (A61N2); RADIATION THERAPY (A61N5) Ewa Beck Examiner, European Patent Office June 2018