Patent ID: 6869390

Claim:
An automated implantation system for implanting low dose radioisotope seeds in a patient as part of a brachytherapy procedure comprising: a storage structure adapted to hold a plurality of radioisotope seeds; a needle assembly; a Z-axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly along an insertion axis and into the patient and selectively ejects radioisotope seeds from the storage structure into the needle assembly; an X-Y axis automated motion control system that selectively moves at least the needle assembly in a plane perpendicular to the insertion axis to selectively position the insertion axis relative to the patient, and a computer processor operably connected to at least the Z-axis automated motion control system and the X-Y axis automated motion control system and having a user interface that displays information about the automated implantation system and accepts commands from a user to control the process of implanting the plurality of radioisotope seeds in the patient, wherein the user interface displays a grid identifying a plurality of locations that are selectable by the user in the plane perpendicular to the insertion axis where radioisotope seeds are to be implanted and the computer processor controls the X-Y axis automated motion control system to position at least the needle assembly perpendicular to a location selected by the user, wherein the storage structure is a replaceable cartridge and the system include cartridge receiving structure defined along at least a portion of the insertion axis.