Patent classifications
A61N2007/0073
Ultrasound treatment device for HIFU and ultrasound image, and control method therefor
The present invention relates to an ultrasound treatment device for HIFU and an ultrasound image, and to a control method therefor. The ultrasound treatment device comprises: a plurality of image converters disposed on one surface of a probe assembly to transmit ultrasound signals to a target and receive signals reflected by the target to create an ultrasound image; a plurality of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) converters disposed on the surface of the probe assembly so as to be located in different positions from the image converters, wherein the HIFU converters transmit ultrasound signals to a target to generate heat energy, thereby treating a tissue within a focusing area; and a control unit performing control such that the difference between apertures of converter arrays constituted by the image converters and the HIFU converters, respectively, is less than a predetermined value.
Estimation of Vibration Amplitude and Elastic Properties of Extra-capillary Tissue with Ultrasound Driven Vibration of Intra-capillary Gas Bubbles
Estimation of vibration amplitude of intra-capillary micro-bubbles driven to vibrate with an incident ultrasound wave with amplitude and frequency to adjust the drive amplitude of the incident wave to obtain specified vibration amplitude of extra-capillary tissue. Estimation uses transmission of M groups of pulse complexes having low frequency pulse (LF) at bubble drive frequency, and high frequency (HF) pulse with angular frequency ω.sub.H> ~ 5 ω.sub.L, and pulse duration shorter than π/4ω.sub.L along HF beam. The phase between HF and LF pulses is ω.sub.Lt.sub.m for each group, where t.sub.m varies between the groups. Within each group, LF pulse varies between pulse complexes in amplitude and/or, where the LF pulse can be zero for a pulse complex, and LF pulse is different from zero for pulse complex within each group. HF receive signals are processed to obtain a parameter relating to bubble vibration amplitude when the HF pulse hits bubble.
IMPOTENCE TREATMENT
The current disclosure relates to a system for treating impotence. In some embodiments, the device includes a mount for holding a transducer in intimate contact to a penile tissue. For example, an ultrasound transducer and/or a vibration transducer may be held in vibrational communication with a corpora, a crura, a root of the penis and/or a glans. For example, the mount may include a sheath and/or a tubular body that may be rigid, partially flexible and/or flexible. The sheath may be open on one or both ends and/or may fully surround the penis and/or include a slit on one side. Optionally, the tubular body includes one or more extensions that reach the root of the penis and/or the crura. For example, the extensions may extend proximally from a proximal end of the sheath and/or the extensions may include transducers that face and/or inward (towards one another).
Systems and methods for treatment of a patient including rf and electrical energy
Systems and methods for a soft tissue treatment of a patient are provided herein. The device for a soft tissue treatment may include an applicator having at least one electrode, a fastening mechanism to fix the applicator to a body part of the patient, and a control unit having a microprocessor to control the at least one electrode. The at least one electrode may provide radiofrequency energy and pulsed electric current. The radiofrequency energy may cause a heating of a soft tissue. The electric current may cause contraction of a muscle within the body part. The body part may be a face.
Multi-Frequency Ultrasound Therapy System with Data Encoder
A multi-frequency ultrasound therapy apparatus is configured to operate at its center frequency and at the higher harmonic of its center frequency. The center frequency can be for the entire apparatus or for each ultrasound source element. At least one source element can generate ultrasound energy at its center frequency while, simultaneously, at least another source element can generate ultrasound energy at the higher harmonic of its center frequency. In addition, the same source element can generate ultrasound energy at its center frequency and the higher harmonic of its center frequency, respectively, but at different times. A data storage unit that stores encrypted and encoded data is disposed on the apparatus. The encoded data includes a unique identification code of the apparatus, the condition of use of the apparatus, the center frequency of each source element, the ultrasound efficiency of each source element, and/or other parameters relating to the apparatus.
Methods of treating tumors with pro drugs
Methods of treating tumors by administering compounds to a patient are provided. Compounds such as pro drugs, e.g., 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), may be administered to the patient orally, by injection, intravenously, or topically, which then accumulate preferentially as compounds such as protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in tumor cells. After such accumulation, compounds such as PpIX are then activated in various aspects to treat tumors cells, thereby treating cancer. Cancers such as glioblastoma may be treated.
VARIABLE-BANDWIDTH TRANSDUCERS WITH ASYMMETRIC FEATURES
Transducer elements have one or more asymmetric features that give rise to multiple natural resonance frequencies. The feature(s) can be discrete (e.g., steps, bars, or gemstone-like facets) or continuous across one or more dimensions of the transducer element (e.g., a triangular prism). A transducer element can be driven at more than one resonance frequency; multiple frequencies will excite more than one feature in parallel, each producing an output emission with a characteristic frequency and phase. An optimal frequency—i.e., one that maximizes the peak acoustic intensity or acoustic power at the target—within a certain frequency range may be determined, and a plurality of asymmetric transducer elements may be driven at a center frequency that coincides with or is close to this optimal frequency.
WEARABLE AND AUTOMATED ULTRASOUND THERAPY DEVICES AND METHODS
An ultrasound therapy device for generating ultrasound therapy. The ultrasound therapy device includes a wearable structure, ultrasound transducer units, a tightening mechanism, a memory, and a processor. The wearable structure is securable to a user to transmit the ultrasound to a target therapy area of a user including at least one of a kidney region, a lung region, and a lower limb of the user. The ultrasound transducer units are attachable and repositionable in the wearable structure to generate and deliver the ultrasound to the target region. The ultrasound transducer units are arranged in an array. The array of ultrasound transducer units is mechanically moved within the wearable structure and is in contact with a material to facilitate penetration of ultrasound into the user's body.
Optimization of transducer configurations in ultrasound procedures
Various approaches to delivering ultrasound energy to a target region include an ultrasound transducer having multiple transducer elements for generating a focal zone of acoustic energy at the target region, wherein one or more transducer elements are partitioned into multiple contiguous sub-regions having a common directionality; one or more driver circuits connected to the transducer element(s); a switch matrix having multiple switches for switchably connecting the sub-regions to the driver circuit(s), each of the sub-regions being associated with one of the switches; and a controller configured to (i) determine an optimal sonication frequency for maximizing a peak acoustic intensity in the focal zone; and (ii) based at least in part on the determined optimal sonication frequency, activate one or more switches in the switch matrix for causing the corresponding sub-region(s) to transmit ultrasound pulses to the target region.
UNIVERSAL ULTRASOUND DEVICE AND RELATED APPARATUS AND METHODS
A universal ultrasound device having an ultrasound probe includes a semiconductor die; a plurality of ultrasonic transducers integrated on the semiconductor die, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers configured to operate a first mode associated with a first frequency range and a second mode associated with a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range is at least partially non-overlapping with the second frequency range; and control circuitry configured to: control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the first frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the first mode; and control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the second frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the second mode.