Patent ID: 9050458
Filing Date: 2015-06-09
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A system for preparation of strands of radioisotope seeds and spacers, comprising: a seed cartridge receiving structure; a spacer cartridge receiving structure; a user-actuated apparatus for dispensing seeds and spacers from cartridges located in said seed and spacer cartridge receiving structures and preparation of a strand from said dispensed seeds and spacers in a strand assembly section; an alignment mechanism for aligning said seeds and spacers to permit assembly of strands from seeds and spacers having end portions adapted to mechanically interact to hold said seeds and spacers together in said strand, wherein said alignment mechanism comprises a seed channel inlet having a diameter less than the outside diameter of the larger of a spacer or a seed outside diameter; and further comprising a mechanism to prevent said strand from being dispensed from a seed stranding section including a seed counter to prevent dispensing of more than a predetermined number of seeds, wherein the seed counter counts each dispensed seed.