Temperature Controlled Heating Device and Method to Heat a Selected Area of a Biological Body

Abstract

A heating device and method is provided that controls a desired temperature in a selected area of a body part to obtain a temperature effect within the selected area for therapeutic or medical purposes. It includes temperature gathering means to generate the desired temperature in the selected area. It also includes temperature detecting means to detect the generated temperature form the selected area. It further includes temperature controlling means to control the temperature generating means to obtain that the generated temperature is within a range of the desired temperature. The device and method prevents irreversibly damaging or overheating of the selected area or the tissue surrounding the selected area. It is advantageous to applications where there is a need to accurately control the temperature in a selected area in a biological body, for instance, to deploy or evaporate a temperature sensitive agent in the selected area.

1 . A device for noninvasively controlling a temperature in a selected area of cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue, comprising: 
 (a) at least one temperature generating means that heats said selected area of cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue in a discontinuous temperature application pattern, wherein said at least one temperature generating means comprises at least one light source;    (b) at least one temperature detecting means to detect said generated temperature in said selected area; and    (c) at least one temperature controlling means to control said at least one temperature generating means to maintain said generated temperature within a range of a desired temperature.    
     
     
         2 . The device as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a displaying means to display a temperature map of said selected area.  
     
     
         3 . The device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one temperature generating means comprises a scanning means to scan a radiation generated by said at least one temperature generating means over said selected area of said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue  
     
     
         4 . The device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein temperature generating means comprises a plurality of light sources.  
     
     
         5 . The device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one light source comprises at least one of a halogen lamp, a laser, and an arc lamp.  
     
     
         6 . The device as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one focusing means to focus at least one temperature generating beam or radiation beam generated by at least one of the at least one light source and wherein the at least one temperature generating beam or radiation beam is focused in the selected area.  
     
     
         7 . The device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one temperature detecting means comprises at least one infrared measuring device.  
     
     
         8 . The device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one temperature detecting means further comprises a scanning means to scan said selected area of said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue to detect said generated temperature from said selected area of said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue.  
     
     
         9 . The device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said desired temperature is above body temperature.  
     
     
         10 . A method for controlling temperature in a selected area of a cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue, comprising: 
 (a) generating a discontinuous temperature application pattern in said selected area of said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue with at least one temperature generating means comprising at least one light source;    (b) detecting a generated temperature in said selected area of said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue; and    (c) controlling said at least one temperature generating means to obtain said generated temperature within a range of a desired temperature.    
     
     
         11 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said generating step further comprises scanning a radiation generated by said at least one temperature generating means over said selected area of said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue  
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising focusing said at least one temperature generating beam or radiation beam generated by at least one of the at least one light source with at least one focusing means.  
     
     
         13 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising scanning said selected area of said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue to detect said generated temperature.  
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , further comprising the step of providing a temperature sensitive agent in said selected area of said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue.  
     
     
         15 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising activating said temperature sensitive agent by heating said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue to said desired temperature with said at least one temperature generating means.  
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising deploying said temperature sensitive agent by heating said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue to said desired temperature with said at least one temperature generating means.  
     
     
         17 . The method as set forth in  claim 14 , further comprising evaporating said temperature sensitive agent by heating said cutaneous or subcutaneous tissue to said desired temperature with said at least one temperature generating means.  
     
     
         18 . The method as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein said desired temperature is above body temperature.  
     
     
         19 . An endoscopic device for controlling a temperature in a selected area of a biological body, comprising: 
 (a) at least one temperature generating means to generate a temperature in said selected area of said biological body, wherein said at least one temperature generating means comprises a scanning means to scan a radiation generated by said at least one temperature generating means over said selected area of said biological body, wherein said at least one temperature generating means further comprises a light source;    (b) at least one temperature detecting means to detect said generated temperature from said selected area of said biological body, wherein said at least one temperature detecting means comprises at least one infrared measuring device; and    (c) at least one temperature controlling means to facilitate selection of a desired temperature and to control said at least one temperature generating means to maintain said generated temperature.    
     
     
         20 . The endoscopic device as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein said light source is one of a halogen lamp, a laser, and an arc lamp.  
     
     
         21 . The endoscopic device as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein said at least one temperature generating means further comprises a RF generator.  
     
     
         22 . The endoscopic device as set forth in  claim 19 , further comprising at least one focusing means to focus a radiation generated by said at least one temperature generating means to said selected area of said biological body.  
     
     
         23 . The endoscopic device as set forth in  claim 19 , further comprising at least one displaying means to display said generated temperature.  
     
     
         24 . The endoscopic device as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein said at least one temperature detecting means further comprises a scanning means to scan over said selected area of said biological body to detect said generated temperature from said selected area of said biological body.