Fluorescent Tattoo Localization

Case ID: 048

Web Published: 12/16/2020

Need
The technology discussed in the text pertains to the analysis of luminescent tattoo inks for enhancing visualization during radiotherapy procedures. These inks exhibit fluorescence peaks within the 440-600nm range and lifetimes of 11-16μs, showcasing 6x higher luminescence under X-ray pulse conditions, enabling 1.6mm imaging accuracy in skin phantoms. They offer potential as fiducial markers for radiotherapy alignment, being nearly invisible under normal light but visible under UV illumination. The inks are explored for real-time dose feedback during radiation therapy, aiding in field verification and alignment with a focus on dosimetry applications. This technology presents a promising solution for improving precision and accuracy in radiation therapy procedures, particularly in low-resource settings, with the potential to reduce delivery errors and enhance facilities in developing countries.

Solution
The technology discussed in the text involves the analysis of luminescent tattoo inks for visualizing linac and cobalt irradiation during radiotherapy. These inks exhibit fluorescence peaks between 440-600nm with lifetimes around 11-16μs and demonstrated 6 times higher luminescence during X-ray pulses, achieving 1.6mm imaging accuracy in skin phantoms. The use of optical filtering allows for color discrimination enabling real-time field verification during MV dose delivery, with potential applications in dosimetry. Additionally, UV-sensitive tattoo inks are explored for field verification in low-resource settings, offering real-time dose feedback during radiation therapy and serving as fiducial markers visible under UV illumination. The technology shows promise for precise radiation dose visualization, alignment in radiation therapy, and enhancing facilities in developing countries through improved imaging methods and dose monitoring.

Application

Luminescent tattoo inks are analyzed for visualizing linac and cobalt irradiation during radiotherapy, with fluorescence peaks around 440-600nm and lifetimes near 11-16μs.

These inks demonstrate 6x higher luminescence during X-ray pulse, achieving 1.6mm imaging accuracy in skin phantoms.

Optical filtering enables color discrimination for real-time field verification during MV dose delivery, with further research needed for dosimetry applications.

Permanent fiducial markers explored for radiotherapy alignment provide near-invisible appearance under normal light but visibility under UV illumination.

UV-sensitive tattoo inks are explored for field verification in low-resource settings, offering real-time dose feedback during radiation therapy and as potential fiducial markers.

Various ink colors are examined for optimal detection on skin-equivalent phantoms, with measured luminescent properties under X-ray excitation.

Phosphorescence lifetimes are measured at 380nm excitation, aiming to supplement existing alignment methods for clinical linear accelerators and cobalt-60 sources.

Emissions captured during X-ray pulses using different exposure modes, with relative sensitivity estimated above 550nm.

UV-excited ink method for patient alignment in radiation therapy uses less visible tattoo inks, showing beam delivery and alignment with a low-cost option for dosimetry.

Luminescent inks are explored for precise radiation dose visualization, aiding in reducing delivery errors with potential sub-mm accuracy.

Advantages
The technology discussed in the text focuses on luminescent tattoo inks utilized in radiotherapy applications. These inks offer advantages such as high luminescence levels during X-ray pulses, enabling precise imaging accuracy of 1.6mm in skin phantoms. They allow for real-time field verification during radiation therapy through optical filtering for color discrimination. The inks also serve as near-invisible fiducial markers under normal light but are visible under UV illumination. Further research is needed for dosimetry applications, but the potential benefits include real-time dose feedback, low-cost patient alignment, and improved radiation dose visualization with sub-millimeter accuracy. Additional studies highlight the efficacy of UV-sensitive inks for dosimetry and imaging during X-ray pulses, emphasizing their signal-to-noise ratio and imaging resolution characteristics under different conditions.

Patent Information:

Title	App Type	Country	Serial No.	Patent No.	File Date	Issued Date	Expire Date	Patent Status
Fluorescent Tattoo Localization	PROV - Provisional	*United States	61/012,349		1/7/2011		1/7/2012	Expired
Fluorescent Tattoo Localizatio n	Utility	*United States	17807209	78343.01.83	12/30/2011	10/5/2012	11/30/2015	Issued (Non-Utility)