Methods of treating the skin and in particular removing pigment from a tattoo are provided. In preferred embodiments, a piezoelectric transducer is placed at a plurality of locations above the skin and focused acoustic waves at 7 MHz or more are transmitted into the skin. The focal point of the focused acoustic waves is between 0.1 mm and 5 mm below the surface of the skin. The design of the piezoelectric transducer along with the frequency of operation are carefully chosen to create points of treatment with a desired size and shape. The correct amount of energy is supplied to the points of treatment to produce a lesion of a desired size and shape. The lesions are spaced and located to effect the treatment of the skin.

Disclosed are methods of using focused acoustic waves for providing non-invasive sonodynamic therapy. The method includes acoustically coupling an array of piezoelectric transducers to a patient. A controller is configured to generate an electrical drive signal at a frequency selected from a range of frequencies, modulate the drive signal, and drive the transducer with the modulated drive signal at the frequency to produce modulated acoustic waves to produce an average acoustic intensity sufficient to activate a sonosensitizer in a treatment region without damaging healthy cells in the treatment region.

Disclosed are methods of using planar or defocused acoustic waves for providing non-invasive sonodynamic therapy. The method includes acoustically coupling an array of piezoelectric transducers to a patient. A controller is configured to generate an electrical drive signal at a frequency selected from a range of frequencies, modulate the drive signal, and drive the transducer with the modulated drive signal at the frequency to produce modulated acoustic waves to produce an average acoustic intensity sufficient to activate a sonosensitizer in a treatment region without damaging healthy cells in the treatment region.

Disclosed are methods of producing ultrasound waves for providing sonodynamic therapy. The method includes coupling a sonodynamic therapy device with an array of piezoelectric transducer elements to a skin surface. A controller is configured to generate an electrical drive signal to produce ultrasound waves to activate a sonosensitizer in a treatment region without damaging healthy cells in the treatment region.

Apparatus (18) assesses a characteristic of a tissue (46). A set (80) of one or more acoustic transducers (50, 54) transmits a first acoustic field (48) at a first frequency into the tissue, generating oscillatory motion at the first frequency of scatterers disposed in the tissue. A second acoustic field (56) at a second frequency higher than the first frequency is transmitted into the tissue. Echo data is received due to the second acoustic field scattering off an oscillating scatterer that is oscillating at the first frequency. A computer processor (29) derives an indication of acoustic impedance of the tissue based on the echo data, and drive an output device (40) to output an indication of whether the tissue is or may be a tumor, based on the indication of the acoustic impedance. Other embodiments are also described.

An ultrasound system includes an ultrasound device configured to be positioned within a body lumen of a patient. The ultrasound device includes a rotatable, flexible elongate drive cable comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, a first ultrasound element disposed at the distal portion of the drive cable and configured to obtain imaging data of the body lumen while rotating, and a second ultrasound element disposed at the distal portion of the drive cable and configured to apply an ultrasound therapy to the body lumen while rotating. Associated devices, systems, and methods are also provided.

Apparatus and methods for deactivating bronchial nerves extending along the secondary bronchial branches of a mammalian subject to treat asthma and related conditions. An ultrasonic transducer (11) is inserted into the bronchus as, for example, by advancing the distal end of a catheter (10) bearing the transducer into the secondary bronchial section to be treated. The ultrasonic transducer emits circumferential ultrasound so as to heat tissues throughout circular impact volume (13) as, for example, at least about 1 cm.sup.3 encompassing the bronchus to a temperature sufficient to inactivate nerve conduction but insufficient to cause rapid ablation or necrosis of the tissues. The treatment can be performed without locating or focusing on individual bronchial nerves. The apparatus and methods utilized for lung tumor ablation.

The present invention relates to a system for skin cancer treatment using low intensity ultrasound. The system comprises an ultrasound transducer, a temperature sensing unit, and a control unit. The temperature sensing unit measures the temperature of the skin being exposed to ultrasound and provides temperature data to the control unit, which controls the ultrasound transducer accordingly.

Methods for treating skin and subcutaneous tissue with energy such as ultrasound energy are disclosed. In various embodiments, ultrasound energy is applied at a region of interest to affect tissue by cutting, ablating, micro-ablating, coagulating, or otherwise affecting the subcutaneous tissue to conduct numerous procedures that are traditionally done invasively in a non-invasive manner. Methods of lifting sagging tissue are described.

The invention relates to a device (1) and a method to avoid artefacts in second circulation mode imaging during ultrasound treatments of the human body (P). Specifically and amongst other effects, the invention provides a way to adequately control, in particular turn on and off, the fluid circulation (12) in a cavity (7) such as to avoid artefacts while still enabling practical imaging.