Pre-procedure tissue destruction zone planner for IRE ablation
This technology is a treatment-planning software system for doctors performing electrical ablation procedures — a minimally invasive cancer treatment that uses electrical pulses to destroy tumors. Before starting a procedure, the system takes medical images of the patient, then runs real-time computational models to predict exactly how heat and electrical energy will spread through the targeted tissue, accounting for that tissue's unique electrical properties. The result is a visual map showing the estimated destruction zone, allowing the physician to optimize electrode placement and pulse settings before touching the patient. It closes the loop by connecting the planning model directly to the actual treatment protocol delivered.
What you could build
An FDA-cleared treatment planning software module integrated into irreversible electroporation (IRE) ablation systems — such as those used in liver, pancreatic, or prostate cancer treatment — sold to interventional radiologists and surgical oncology centers as either a standalone planning workstation or an upgrade to existing ablation capital equipment.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia-based interventional radiology groups at academic medical centers (UVA Health, VCU Health) and defense-adjacent biomedical device firms in the NoVA corridor would have operational or partnership interest.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Paulo A. Garcia, Christopher B. Arena, Michael B. Sano, Rafael V. Davalos
- Granted
- August 19, 2025
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 12390268
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.