Irradiation device for therapeutic treatment of skin diseases and other ailments

Abstract

The invention relates to an irradiation device and method for the treatment of totally or partially cell-mediated inflammations of the skin, the connective tissue and the viscera, viral and other infectious diseases such as HIV and prionic infections, fungal infections of the skin and the mucous membranes, bacterial diseases of the skin and the mucous membranes as well hand eczema and anal eczema which comprises at least one irradiation device to irradiate a surface treatment area where the wavelength of the emitted radiation to a treatment area is longer than 400 nm and comprises at least one spectral band between 400-500 nm while the radiation device has a gas discharge lamp containing at least gallium, indium or their respective halides as irradiation source, means that less than 7% of the overall optical output are emitted in the UV range, wherein at least 30% of the optical output are emitted in the range of 400-500 nm; and contains means for the generation of optical pulses towards a treatment area with a power density of the optical pulse peaks larger than 0.5 W/cm 2 and smaller than 500 W/cm 2 . The energy of one pulse relates to 0.05-10 J/cm 2 .

1 . An irradiation device for the treatment of totally or partially cell mediated inflammations of the skin and the viscera, comprising at least one UV emitting radiation source for the irradiation of larger areas to be treated, the emitted wavelength on the treatment area being at least 400 nm and comprising a wavelength range of 400-500 nm, wherein said irradiation source is a gas discharge lamp containing at least gallium, indium or their respective halides and means that less than 7% of the overall optical output are emitted in the UV range, wherein at least 30% of the optical output are emitted in the range of 400-500 nm; 
 wherein the irradiation device comprises means for the generation of optical pulses on the area to be treated, the generated optical pulse having a peak irradiation intensity and an energy density, the peak irradiation intensity of the generated optical pulse being higher than 0.5 W/cm 2  and lower than 500 W/cm 2 , the energy density of one emitted optical pulse being between 0.05 and 10 J/cm 2 .    
   
   
       2 . Irradiation device according to  claim 1 , comprising an arrangement giving relative motion to the area to be irradiated whereby the pulses of emitted radiation is generated.  
   
   
       3 . Irradiation device according to  claim 2 , wherein the arrangement is an X- or X-Y scan table.  
   
   
       4 . Irradiation device according to  claim 2 , wherein the pulse length is between 1 ms-500 ms.  
   
   
       5 . Irradiation device according to  claim 4 , wherein said radiation source has a pulse frequency of 0.01-100 Hz.  
   
   
       6 . Irradiation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the radiation source is developed in a line- or stripwise fashion.  
   
   
       7 . Irradiation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the energy density of one emitted optical pulse is between 0.3-0.8 J/cm 2 .  
   
   
       8 . Irradiation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the generated optical pulse have a cw-irradiation intensity, where the average cw-irradiation intensity of one optical pulse is between 1 mW/cm 2 -10 W/cm 2 .  
   
   
       9 . Irradiation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said gas discharge lamp is an overload-pulse operated gallium iodide-doped mercury lamp with a device for the cutting off and/or transformation of the UV parts and other undesired parts of the spectrum within the desired area of the spectrum.  
   
   
       10 . Irradiation device according to  claim 9 , comprising a phosphor material with UVC-transparent carrier material arranged in front of the radiation source.  
   
   
       11 . Irradiation device according to  claim 10 , wherein said transparent carrier material is a fluorescent foil made of silicone elastomere or fluorpolymer doped with anorganic phosphor particles.  
   
   
       12 . Irradiation device according to  claim 10 , wherein said carrier material or the luminescent foil is doped with at least one of: (i) the following phosphors fluorescent in the spectral range of 410-490 nm: 
 Sr 2 P 2 O 7 ,:Eu, Sr 5 (P0 4 ) 3 C1:Eu, BaMg 2 Al 16 O 2 ,:Eu,    CaWO 4 :Pb; (Sr,Ca,Ba) 5 (PO 4 ) 3 Cl:Eu; Sr 2 P 2 O 7 : Sn,(Ba,Ca) 5 (PO 4 ) 3 Cl:Eu)    (ii) the following phosphors fluorescent in the spectral range of 510-560 nm: ZnSiO 4 :Mn; MgAl 11 O 19 :Ce,Tb,Mn; YBO 3 :Tb; LaPO 4 :Ce,Th; or    (iii) the following phosphors fluorescent in the spectral range of 610-670 nm: Y 2 O 3 :Eu; Y(P,V)O 4 :Eu; CaSiO 3 :Pb,Mn;(Sr,Mg) 3 (PO 4 ) 2 : Sn; 3.5MgO*0.5MgF 2 *GeO 2 :Mn.    
   
   
       13 . Irradiation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said irradiation source is equipped with cooling means for cooling one or the other or both of the area to be irradiated and the fluorescent foil.  
   
   
       14 . Irradiation device according to  claim 13 , wherein said cooling device is designed as an air cooling device.  
   
   
       15 . Irradiation device according to  claim 1 , wherein said irradiation device has associated means for the topical or inhalative admission of oxygen.  
   
   
       16 . Irradiation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the irradiation source has additional emission in the range of one or the other or both of (i) 520-550 nm and (ii) 610-670 nm.  
   
   
       17 . Irradiation device according  claim 1 , wherein said irradiation source is enclosed by a paraboloid or ellipsoid reflector.  
   
   
       18 . Irradiation device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one UV emitting radiation source emits a beam of radiation having a beam diameter, and wherein the beam diameter of the emitted radiation is at least in one dimension wider than 10 mm and narrower than 100 mm.  
   
   
       19 . Method particularly for the treatment of totally or partially cell mediated inflammations of the skin, connective tissue and the viscera, in particular atopic dermatitis cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, lichen rubber, alopecia areata, systemic lupus erythematodes, psoriasis and scleroderma, including other connective tissue diseases, multiple sclerosis, uveitis, Morbus Crohn and other diseases with an immunological background, including the treatment of infectious diseases such as herpes, papilloma virus, fungus, HIV, prions and burn wounds and disturbed wound healing through bacterial infection comprising the step of, 
 providing at least one radiation source for the irradiation of the treatment areas, the emitted wavelength on the treatment area being at least 400 nm and comprising a wavelength range of 400-500 nm, wherein said irradiation source is a gas discharge lamp containing at least gallium, indium or their respective halides and means that less than 7% of the overall optical output are emitted in the UV range, wherein at least 30% of the optical output are emitted in the range of 400-500 nm;    generating optical pulse of radiation from the radiation source, the generated optical pulse having a peak irradiation intensity and an energy density, the peak irradiation intensity of the generated optical pulse being higher than 0.5 W/cm 2  and lower than 500 W/cm 2 , the energy density of one emitted optical pulse being between 0.05 and 10 J/cm 2 , and    applying the optical pulse to the treatment area.    
   
   
       20 . Method according to  claim 19 , wherein the energy density of one emitted optical pulse is between 0.3-0.8 J/cm 2 .  
   
   
       21 . Method according to  claim 19 , wherein the generated optical pulse have a cw-irradiation intensity, where the average cw-irradiation intensity of one optical pulse is between 1 mW/cm 2 -10 W/cm 2 .  
   
   
       22 . Irradiation device according to  claim 3 , wherein the pulse length is between 1 ms-500 ms.  
   
   
       23 . Irradiation device according to  claim 22 , wherein said radiation source has a pulse frequency of 0.01-100 Hz.  
   
   
       24 . Irradiation device according to any of  claim 11 , wherein said carrier material or the luminescent foil is doped with at least one of: (i) the following phosphors fluorescent in the spectral range of 410-490 nm: 
 Sr 2 P 2 O 7 ,:Eu, Sr 5 (P0 4 ) 3 Cl:Eu, BaMg 2 Al 16 O 2 ,:Eu,    CaWO 4 :Pb; (Sr,Ca,Ba) 5 (PO 4 ) 3 C1:Eu; Sr 2 P 2 O 7 :Sn,(Ba,Ca) 5 (PO 4 ) 3 Cl:Eu)    (ii) the following phosphors fluorescent in the spectral range of 510-560 nm: ZnSiO 4 :Mn; MgAl 11 O 19 :Ce,Tb,Mn; YBO 3 :Tb; LaPO 4 :Ce,Th; or    (iii) the following phosphors fluorescent in the spectral range of 610-670 nm: Y 2 O 3 :Eu; Y(P,V)O 4 :Eu; CaSiO 3 :Pb,Mn; (Sr,Mg) 3 (PO 4 ) 2 : Sn; 3.5MgO*0.5MgF 2 *GeO 2 :Mn.