Systems and methods are provided for performing transcranial diagnostic procedures using a transcranial ultrasound transducer array. The array elements are positioned and oriented such that far field regions respectively associated therewith spatially overlap within the brain of a patient. The array elements may be oriented approximately normal to the skull, permitting efficient coupling of ultrasound energy into the brain. The array elements are controlled to generate ultrasound pulses, where the timing of the pulses is controlled, based on registration between the array elements and volumetric image data, such that ultrasound energy is focused at a target within spatially overlapping far fields of the array elements. The transcranial ultrasound transducer array elements may be positioned and oriented relative to the skull such that their respective ultrasound beams are focused within the skull and diverging with the brain.

A method and system for acoustic treatment of tissue are provided. Acoustic energy, including ultrasound, under proper functional control can penetrate deeply and be controlled precisely in tissue. In some embodiments, methods and systems are configured for acoustic tissue treatment based on creating an energy distribution function in tissue. In some embodiments, methods and systems are configured based on creating a temperature distribution function in tissue.

A multi-angular ultrasound device. Multi-angular ablation patterns are achieved by a catheter based ultrasound transducer having a plurality of transducer zones. A multi-chambered balloon is positioned on the catheter.

Applications related to non-invasive magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) in a patient's vasculature are described. For example, the applications can include an ablation procedure, an occlusion procedure, a cauterization procedure, and the like. Accordingly, one aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for performing an MRgFUS application that includes selecting a target area within a patient's vasculature, configuring multifocal acoustic waves, and applying the multifocal acoustic waves to the target area to heat sequential locations in the target area simultaneously to facilitate the MRgFUS application.

A therapy apparatus for treating tissue by the emission of focused ultrasound waves, including:

a creation surface of a pressure field of focused ultrasound waves divided into at least N sectors having segments of asymmetrical concave curve (S1, S2, . . . ) with centres of curvature;

centres of curvature (c.sub.1, c.sub.2, . . . ) asymmetrical to the extent where the centres of curvature are situated at different distances from the plane of symmetry (A1) or from the axis of symmetry (S) and/or at different depths taken according to the axis of symmetry;

the individual axes (a.sub.1, a.sub.2, . . . ) intersecting between the focal zones (Zc.sub.1, Zc.sub.2, . . . ) and the creation surface (8) or beyond the focal zones such that the beams originating from the sectors intersect to create a focal coverage zone (Zr) which is off-axis relative to the plane of symmetry (A1) or to the axis of symmetry (S);

the sectors of this creation surface (8) creating energy deposit zones with profiles corresponding to the focal coverage zones (Zr).

An approach for enhancing radiation treatment of target tissue includes identifying a target volume of the target tissue; causing disruption of vascular tissue in a region confined to the target volume so as to define the target volume; based at least in part on the disruption of the vascular tissue, determining a radiation treatment plan having a reduced radiation dose for treating the target tissue; and exposing the target volume to the reduced radiation dose based on the radiation treatment plan.

A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using the same transducer elements of a transducer array. The system may use a multi-channel driver to drive the elements of the array. The system uses a real-time monitoring and feedback image control of the therapy based on imaging data acquired using the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) of transducer elements. Further, for example, multi-modal coded excitation may be used in both imaging and therapy modes. Still further, for example, adaptive, real-time refocusing for improved imaging and therapy can be achieved using, for example, array directivity vectors obtained from DMUA pulse-echo data.

Systems and methods are provided for performing transcranial diagnostic procedures using a transcranial ultrasound transducer array. The array elements are positioned and oriented such that far field regions respectively associated therewith spatially overlap within the brain of a patient. The array elements may be oriented approximately normal to the skull, permitting efficient coupling of ultrasound energy into the brain. The array elements are controlled to generate ultrasound pulses, where the timing of the pulses is controlled, based on registration between the array elements and volumetric image data, such that ultrasound energy is focused at a target within spatially overlapping far fields of the array elements. The transcranial ultrasound transducer array elements may be positioned and oriented relative to the skull such that their respective ultrasound beams are focused within the skull and diverging with the brain.

Various approaches for focusing an ultrasound transducer having multiple transducer elements include causing the transducer elements to transmit ultrasound waves to a target region and measure reflections of the ultrasound waves off the target region; for each of at least some of the transducer elements, adjusting a parameter value associated with said each transducer element based at least in part on parameter values associated with multiple measuring transducer elements weighted by signal quality metrics associated with the reflections measured by the measuring transducer elements so as to improve an ultrasound focus at the target region.

Various approaches to stimulating neural activity in one or more target regions associated with one or more brain diseases or disorders include transmitting the first sequence of ultrasound pulses to the target region(s); measuring a physiological parameter indicative of the neural activity at the target region(s) resulting from the ultrasound pulses; and based at least in part on the measurement, adjusting a parameter value associated with one or more transducer elements so as to achieve a target objective of the neural activity.