Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for use in tomographic ultrasound imaging, large aperture ultrasound imaging and therapeutic ultrasound that provide for coupling acoustic signal transducers to body structures for transmitting and receiving acoustic signals. The acoustic signal transmission couplants can conform to the receiving medium (e.g., skin) of the subject such that there is an acoustic impedance matching between the receiving medium and the transducer. In one aspect, an acoustic coupling medium includes a hydrogel including polymerizable material that form a network structured to entrap an aqueous fluid inside the hydrogel. The hydrogel is structured to conform to the receiving body, and the acoustic coupling medium is operable to conduct acoustic signals between acoustic signal transducer elements and a receiving medium when the hydrogel is in contact with the receiving body such that there is an acoustic impedance matching between the receiving medium and the acoustic signal transducer elements.

A device for treatment of the Peyronie's disease, containing a hollow cylindrical body placed in the bed of a fixed base plate for precision positioning of the penis with respect to the center of the plaque in its subcutaneous tissue, wherein adjacent to the cylindrical body is the face of the shock wave generator firmly connected to a supporting rigid navigation frame with the possibility of travel in three mutually orthogonal directions and three rotations in three mutually perpendicular planes to ensure the localization of the highest shock wave energy level in the second focal point of the shock wave generator which is identical to the position of the center of the plaque, and the space between the inner and outer walls of the cylindrical body is filled with degassed water with a temperature close to the patient's temperature.

A system for breaking obstructions in body lumens includes a catheter including an elongated carrier, a balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto, the balloon being arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon, and an arc generator including at least one electrode within the balloon that forms a mechanical shock wave within the balloon. The system further includes a power source that provides electrical energy to the arc generator.

Apparatuses and methods for electrohydraulic generation of shockwaves at a rate of between 10 Hz and 5 MHz, and/or that permit a user to view a region of a patient comprising target cells during application of generated shockwaves to the region. Methods of applying electro-hydraulically generated shockwaves to target tissues (e.g., for reducing the appearance of tattoos, treatment or reduction of certain conditions and/or maladies).

The present invention provides for a method for continuously monitoring a coupling quality of a coupling interface between an acoustic energy source of a therapeutic device and a body surface area of a patient, comprising the steps of: (f) obtaining a plurality of images of at least one predetermined first area of the coupling interface; (g) extracting at least one first image characteristic of a predetermined first image of said plurality of images; (h) extracting said at least one first image characteristic of at least one second image of said plurality of images, said at least one second image being temporally spaced apart from said predetermined first image; (i) determining a quantitative parameter corresponding to a difference between said at least one first image characteristic of said predetermined first image and said at least one first image characteristic of said at least one second image, and (j) actuating a signal if said quantitative parameter exceeds a predetermined reference threshold.

A method for application of laser energy to skin including applying a first pass of laser energy from a laser system to skin, placing a layer on the skin, and applying a second pass of laser energy from the laser system that impinges on the layer to create a shockwave on the skin.

An electromagnetic shockwave transducer includes a double-faced coil of wire wound around an insulator. The coil has a first coil face on one side of the insulator and a second coil face on an opposite side of the insulator. Coil ends of the coil are electrically coupled to a current source, which produces a current pulse in the coil so as to produce a force between the coil faces.

A device and a method, which is individual to a patient, treat malignant diseases by using selectively acting tumor-destructive mechanical pulses (TMI). The tumor-destructive pulse shapes and frequency are determined using physical cell properties, which are individual to each patient. The device is controlled in such that lethal pulse fields are applied in the tumor area.

An apparatus includes a balloon adapted to be placed adjacent a calcified region of a body. The balloon is inflatable with a liquid. The apparatus further includes a shock wave generator within the balloon that produces shock waves that propagate through the liquid for impinging upon the calcified region adjacent the balloon. The shock wave generator includes a plurality of shock wave sources distributed within the balloon.

Apparatuses and methods for electrohydraulic generation of Shockwaves at a rate of between 10 Hz and 5 MHz, and/or that permit a user to view a region of a patient comprising target cells during application of generated Shockwaves to the region. Methods of applying electro-hydraulically generated Shockwaves to target tissues (e.g., for reducing the appearance of tattoos, treatment or reduction of certain conditions and/or maladies).