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.

This application relates to a transmitting/receiving dual-mode focused ultrasonic transducer and a microbubble cavitation image visualization method using the transducer. In one aspect, a plurality of mounting holes are formed in a transducer body with a limited area according to the Fibonacci pattern that allows for the maximum number of objects to be mounted in the transducer body. A plurality of transducer elements are mounted in the mounting holes so as to form a transducer element arrangement having highly nonlinearity. According to various embodiments, microbubble cavitation can be induced and visualized by using a small number of receiving elements.

Systems and methods are disclosed related to using acoustic waves to detect neural activity in a brain and/or localize the neural activity in the brain. Sensors positioned outside of a skull encasing the brain can detect acoustic waves associated with the neural activity in the brain. From output signals of the sensors, a particular type of neural activity (e.g., a seizure) can be detected. A location of the neural activity can be determined based on outputs of the sensors. In some embodiments, the ultrasound energy can be applied to the location of the neural activity in response to detecting the neural activity.

A catheter US transducer container and method of manufacture thereof including a housing, one or more cooling channels oriented longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the container, a sealing cooling channel cover, one or more PE elements positioned on a floor of the cooling channel, the cooling channel having a trapezoid cross section at any point along the PE element.

Apparatus and methods are described including a catheter ultrasound transducer that includes one or more piezoelectric elements configured to ablate tissue of an ostium of a blood vessel by applying ultrasound energy to tissue of the ostium. An expandable positioner is configured to envelope at least a portion of the catheter ultrasound transducer and to position the catheter ultrasound transducer in the ostium of the blood vessel by contacting a wall of the blood vessel. A system processor in communication with the one or more piezoelectric elements is configured to regulate a parameter of the ultrasound energy emitted from the one or more piezoelectric elements based on impedance measurement between one or more electrodes located on the expandable positioner and one or more electrodes located on the catheter ultrasound transducer. Other applications are also described.

Apparatus and methods are described including positioning an ultrasound transducer at a blood vessel ostium, rotating the transducer about its axis and scanning tissue of the blood vessel ostium, recording one or more baseline returned signals from the tissue, and creating a baseline image of the blood vessel ostium based on at least one of the returned signals. Tissue of the blood vessel ostium is ablated in consecutive segments by rotating the transducer segmentally until full rotation is completed. The returned signals of the ablated segments are recorded in real-time and a real-time image is created based on the one or more returned signals. Ablation is terminated after changes in the real-time returned signals and/or real-time image with respect to the baseline returned signals and/or baseline image indicate an achieved predetermined level of ablation lesion formation. Other applications are also described.

Estimation and imaging of linear and nonlinear propagation and scattering parameters in a material object where the material parameters for wave propagation and scattering has a nonlinear dependence on the wave field amplitude. The methods transmit at least two pulse complexes composed of co-propagating high frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF) pulses along at least one LF and HF transmit beam axis, where said HF pulse propagates close to the crest or trough of the LF pulse along at least one HF transmit beam, and where one of the amplitude and polarity of the LF pulse varies between at least two transmitted pulse complexes. At least one HF receive beam crosses the HF transmit beam at an angle, to provide at least two HF cross-beam receive signals from at least two transmitted pulse complexes with different LF pulses.

The present subject matter relates to techniques for simultaneous monitoring and modulating target tissue. The disclosed system can include a focused ultrasound (FUS) stimulation probe for stimulating the target tissue, an imaging probe for obtaining ultrasound images of displacement on target tissue, and a processor configured to provide an image of target tissue within about 2 seconds from the stimulating. The imaging probe and the FUS stimulation probe are coaligned and include different center frequencies.

The subject matter of the present disclosure generally relates to techniques for neuromodulation of a tissue that include applying energy (e.g., ultrasound energy) into the tissue at multiple regions of interest, concurrently or consecutively. The neuromodulation may result in tissue displacement, which may be observed through changes in one or more molecules of interest.

An ultrasonic diagnosis and therapy apparatus according to an embodiment may include an ultrasound output unit including a plurality of ultrasound output elements, a circuit board that can be attached and detached through a connecting board connected to the ultrasound output unit to determine a function of the ultrasound output unit, and a control unit configured to control a setting value of each of the plurality of ultrasound output elements, wherein therapy and diagnosis functions are selectively or simultaneously implemented by changing the circuit board. With the ultrasonic diagnosis and therapy apparatus, it is possible to selectively or simultaneously implement the therapy and diagnosis functions by selectively mounting different types of circuit boards that determine the type and function of ultrasound outputted from the ultrasonic transducers.