A medical imaging system configured to provide cardiac sonothrombolysis therapy is disclosed. Various embodiments of portable cardiac sonothrombolysis devices are disclosed. The devices may be configured to determine if one or more ultrasound probes have a proper view of the heart, and if not, may steer the beam to a desired location. The ultrasound probes may be configured for both imaging and cardiac sonothrombolysis therapy. The ultrasound probes may be configured to be hands-free. The portable devices may be configured to provide operating instructions to an operator. The instructions may be provided via graphics, audio, and/or video.

Ultrasound imaging and therapy with the same array of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers is provided. The electronics includes a per-pixel switch for each transducer element. The switches provide an imaging mode driven completely by on-chip electronics and a therapy mode where off-chip pulsers provide relatively high voltages to the transducer elements.

The described embodiments relate to methods, systems and uses for therapeutic ultrasound, and in particular, to methods, systems and uses for therapeutic ultrasound for treating or alleviating eye conditions. The described embodiments relate to methods, systems and uses that involve an ultrasound device configured for treatment of an eye condition, where the device comprises at least one ultrasound transducer for coupling to at least a portion of an eyelid to supply ultrasound waves to an area proximate to the portion of the eyelid according to treatment parameters, wherein the treatment parameters comprise a treatment frequency and a treatment period.

Apparatus is provided for ablating cardiac tissue of a subject. The apparatus comprises an inflatable element, configured to be transthoracically placed within a pericardial region of the subject and a reflection-facilitation element, configured to deliver a fluid to the pericardial region, such that a portion of the fluid is disposed within the inflatable element, and another portion of the fluid is disposed outside of the inflatable element and inside the pericardial region. The apparatus additionally comprises at least one ultrasound transducer, configured to be transcatheterally placed in a heart chamber of the subject, and to apply ultrasound energy such that at least a portion of the applied energy is reflected by the fluid. Other embodiments are also described.

An ultrasound deep brain stimulation method and system, the ultrasound deep brain stimulation method comprises: medically imaging a head of an animal or a human being, to generate image data; creating a head 3D digital model according to the image data; creating a 3D digital model of an ultrasound transducer array according to structure, density and acoustic parameters information of the ultrasound transducer array; generating a first ultrasound transmitting sequence according to the head 3D digital model, the 3D digital model of the ultrasound transducer array, structure, density and acoustic parameters of the skull and brain tissues, and structure, density and acoustic parameters of the ultrasound transducer array; and controlling the ultrasound transducer array to transmit ultrasound waves in accordance with the first ultrasound transmitting sequence, to implement ultrasound deep brain stimulation to the brain nucleus to be stimulated. By the use of the present invention, ultrasound can noninvasively passes through the skull to be focused in a deep brain region. By the use of different ultrasound transmitting sequences, ultrasound neuromodulation can be realized, and research on an action mechanism for the ultrasound neuromodulation can be performed.

A device (1) for therapeutic treatment of a target (2) comprising at least one ultrasound transducer (3) for generating and transmitting ultrasound pulses to the target and at least one detector (4) to detect ultrasound waves (6) backscattered from structures. The device (1) comprises a signal processing unit (8) to select an output of the at least one detector (4) caused by backscattered waves (6). The selected output has a frequency around an even harmonics of the emitted frequency (f) of the ultrasound pulses. The device (1) comprises a processor (7) to provide an output of the selected signal indicative of a parameter of the backscattered waves (6) in the frequency band around the even harmonics. The processor calculates if the parameter of the backscattered waves (6) in the frequency band is above a preset threshold (13), and provides an alert signal (9) when the parameter exceeds the threshold (13).

An ultrasound deep brain stimulation method and system, the ultrasound deep brain stimulation method comprises: medically imaging a head of an animal or a human being, to generate image data; creating a head 3D digital model according to the image data; creating a 3D digital model of an ultrasound transducer array according to structure, density and acoustic parameters information of the ultrasound transducer array; generating a first ultrasound transmitting sequence according to the head 3D digital model, the 3D digital model of the ultrasound transducer array, structure, density and acoustic parameters of the skull and brain tissues, and structure, density and acoustic parameters of the ultrasound transducer array; and controlling the ultrasound transducer array to transmit ultrasound waves in accordance with the first ultrasound transmitting sequence, to implement ultrasound deep brain stimulation to the brain nucleus to be stimulated. By the use of the present invention, ultrasound can noninvasively passes through the skull to be focused in a deep brain region. By the use of different ultrasound transmitting sequences, ultrasound neuromodulation can be realized, and research on an action mechanism for the ultrasound neuromodulation can be performed.

Systems and methods for treating a blood clot include a catheter to be inserted into a patient. The catheter is used to deliver low stability microbubbles toward the blood clot in the patient. A thrombolytic agent is delivered toward the blood clot, and ultrasonic energy is applied to the microbubbles to vibrate the microbubbles.

An intra-cavity ultrasound imaging and therapy system is provided. The system includes an intra-cavity ultrasound probe including a housing configure to be inserted into a cavity proximate to a region of interest (ROI). The housing includes a transducer array located proximate to a distal end of the housing. The system also includes a diagnostic control circuit configured to direct the transducer array to collect diagnostic ultrasound signals from the ROI. The diagnostic control circuit is configured to generate an ultrasound image based on the diagnostic ultrasound signals. The diagnostic control circuit is further configured to direct the transducer array to deliver a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy at a treatment location based on target information derived from the ultrasound image.

A system and method for ultrasound treatment of skin laxity are provided. Systems and methods can include ultrasound imaging of the region of interest for localization of the treatment area, delivering ultrasound energy at a depth and pattern to achieve the desired therapeutic effects, and/or monitoring the treatment area to assess the results and/or provide feedback. In an embodiment, a treatment system and method can be configured for producing arrays of sub-millimeter and larger zones of thermal ablation to treat the epidermal, superficial dermal, mid-dermal or deep dermal components of tissue.