Various example embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for the dynamic correction and reduction of thermal variations in skull-induced aberrations during a focused ultrasound therapy procedure. Unlike conventional approaches involving static corrections for skull-induced aberrations, various example embodiments of the present disclosure employ ultrasound detection and a skull thickness estimate from volumetric image data to intermittently and dynamically determine corrections for skull-induced aberrations, such that aberration correction reduction is updated intraoperatively and maintained despite local thermally-induced changes in the speed of sound of the local skull region due to intraoperative intracranial heating. Furthermore, in some example embodiments, a measure dependent on the speed of sound with the skull is intraoperatively determined and compared to a previously determined value of the measure to determine a change in the skull temperature, based on a pre-determined relationship between changes in the measure and changes in skull temperature.

Provided are products of manufacture and methods for the removal and/or destruction of a biofilm in situ, e.g., a gastro-luminal biofilm, and for the treatment or amelioration of biofilm-associated diseases, infections and conditions, including and GI luminal infections. Provided are devices and apparatus, and methods for using them, for the removal, disruption and/or destruction of a biofilm in situ, e.g., a gastro-luminal biofilm. In alternative embodiments, provided are devices and apparatus, and methods, for enhancing biofilm dissolving or disrupting agents, or for administering biofilm dissolving or disrupting agents, where in alternative embodiments the biofilm comprises a gastro-luminal ‘unstirred layer’, adherent layer or gastro-luminal mucus layer; or the biofilm comprises a matrix or a DNA-containing layer, or alternatively the biofilm comprises a polysaccharide gastro-luminal peripheral layer.

The present discussion relates to the delivery of ultrasonic therapy energy to a target region in conjunction with a clear path determination that may assess one or more of: (1) presence of non-soft tissue regions within the therapy beam path (e.g., bone or bone-like structures, gas-filled cavities, and so forth), (2) partial “lift-off” of the probe head; or (3) sufficiency of acoustic coupling. Upon determination or confirmation of at least a partial clear path with respect to some or all of these factors, the therapy beam may be delivered to the target region.

An ultrasound apparatus of a body cavity insertable type includes: a handpiece; a supporting rod that is elongated from the handpiece; an ultrasound probe that includes a housing that is connected to the supporting rod and an ultrasound transducer that is fixed to the housing; and an ultrasound transmission medium circulation mechanism that is configured to discharge an ultrasound transmission medium filled in an ultrasound transmission space that is formed at a front of the ultrasound transducer and to inflow the discharged ultrasound transmission medium to the ultrasound transmission space again. The housing and the ultrasound transducer are configured such that the ultrasound transmission medium filled in the ultrasound transmission space is prevented from inflowing to a rear space of the ultrasound transducer.

Methods and techniques for obtaining enriched cell samples from an organ in a subject using an ultrasound contrast agent and insonating. Contiguous fragments of epithelia are obtained which are useful for subsequent histological analysis and for informing therapy and other medical considerations.

Systems, devices, and methods involve ablation of tissue to treat rhinitis and/or other nasal conditions. Implementations allow treatment of tissue in the confined space of the nasal cavity. Additionally, implementations allow targeted treatment tissue to be ablated, while protecting other non-treatment tissue from unintentional collateral effects that might be produced by the ablation. According to an example implementation, an approach for treating a nasal condition includes advancing a probe into a nasal cavity, the probe including a shaft and a cryotherapy element coupled to the shaft. The approach also includes cryogenically cooling a target treatment site with the cryotherapy element to treat at least one nasal nerve. Additionally, the approach includes transmitting a focused ultrasound beam to a target heating site to increase a temperature tissue at the target heating site.

Disclosed are methods of obtaining zero vergence ultrasound waves for providing sonodynamic therapy with ultrasound waves that do not converge and do not diverge. The method includes coupling a sonodynamic therapy device with an array of flat piezoelectric transducers to a skin surface. A controller is configured to generate an electrical drive signal at a frequency, modulate the drive signal, and drive the transducer with the modulated drive signal at the frequency to produce a zero vergence ultrasound wave to produce an average acoustic intensity sufficient to activate a sonosensitizer in a treatment region without damaging healthy cells in the treatment region.

Ultrasound transducers adjust the B.sub.1.sup.+ and/or B.sub.1.sup.− field distribution in an MRI apparatus to improve the signal sensitivity and homogeneity at a region of interest. Approaches employed include strategic placement of field-altering features such as slots and/or dipoles along the exterior surface or, in some cases, the interior of the transducer. In various embodiments, the field-altering features are (or behave as) passive resonators.

An ultrasonic therapy system delivers ultrasonic therapy energy to a therapy site in the body which is infused with microbubbles. A system without an image guidance capability has an array transducer which delivers therapy energy, a therapy transducer driver which causes the array transducer to deliver therapeutic energy, a control for controlling the intensity of the therapeutic energy, and a display of the sonotherapy signal strength of the energy and the concentration of microbubbles at the therapy site. A system with ultrasonic imaging capability will display an ultrasound image for therapeutic guidance and a measure of the microbubble concentration. The method of the present invention is performed as an adjunct to a standard drug therapy or other treatment regimen, following such treatment with an infusion of ultrasound and delivery of ultrasound therapy energy.

An electronic memory is configured to store pre-recorded neurostimulation data comprising patterns of stimulation of a specified region of a subject's brain developed to recreate a response by one or more of a sensing organ or sensing organs, a vestibular system, and a memory of the subject. A focused ultrasound transducer arrangement is operably coupled to the electronic memory and comprises an array of ultrasound transducers. The focused ultrasound transducer arrangement is configured to deliver transcranial stimulation to the specified region of a person's brain using the pre-recorded neurostimulation data to recreate the response by one or more of the sensing organ or sensing organs, the vestibular system, and the memory of the subject. A support structure is configured for placement on or about a person's head. The support structure is configured to support at least the focused ultrasound transducer arrangement.