Catheter having an expandable radioactive source

摘要

This invention provides an elastic balloon catheter (10). The elastic balloon catheter (10) includes an inflatable balloon (14 and 15) and a generally cylindrical as well as thin-walled elastic radioactive source (16) where both the inflatable balloon (14 and 15) and the radioactive source (16) are located coaxially at a distal end of the balloon catheter (10). The inflatable balloon (14 and 15) is adapted to be internally inflated by injection of an inflation fluid. The elastic radioactive source (16) has a proximal end as well as a distal end and is displaced in a radially outward direction as a result of the injection of the inflation fluid into the inflatable balloon (14 and 15) which places the radioactive source (16) in close proximity to the wall of a vessel of the human body into which the balloon catheter (10) is inserted.