An acoustic module with a transducer and a solid waveguide. The transducer and waveguide may be curved to focus the acoustic energy along a focal line. The transducer, the top surface of the waveguide and the bottom surface of the waveguide may extend along coaxial curves. The waveguide may include a recess closely receiving the transducer. The waveguide may include an integral skirt that provides a thermal mass. The acoustic module may include a space to accommodate thermal management options. For example, the acoustic module may include a heatsink, an active ventilation system and/or a phase change material. The ultrasound device may include a controller configured to perform a uniformity scan sweep during supply of operating power to the transducer. The uniformity scan sweep can extend through a frequency range that includes the operating point of the acoustic module and does not exceed an acceptable efficiency loss.

Ultrasound transducer element arrays using acoustic ensonification drive patterns via a patient interface for sonosensitizer activation in sonodynamic therapy. Incoherent acoustic field generation varying phase, frequencies, and/or amplitude via controlled delivery of low intensity planar acoustic waves. Method includes generating a first and a second signal to generate respective acoustic ensonification drive patterns with phase, frequency, and amplitude and generating at least one relative phase, frequency or amplitude difference to generate a third incoherent acoustic ensonification pattern to activate a sonosensitizer. Calibration and complementary therapy procedures to improve cell susceptibility of cells to sonodynamic therapy are disclosed.

The disclosure relates, in part, to targeted drug delivery using an ultrasound procedure and, more particularly, to systems and methods for the measurement of levels of drug delivery and certain aspects of metabolism, such as drug metabolism, in the brain tissue.

An ultrasound transducer array is incorporated in a light-weight, conformable, and wearable patch that may be used to deliver, monitor, and control localized transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS). The patch may include full-duplex transmit-receive circuitry that may be used for continuous monitoring of transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) application. The circuitry may include a circulator. The ultrasound transducer array may be coupled to an aperture interface having irregularly sized or shaped channel conductors to provide a coarse aperture for the array. The coarse aperture may be designed using a method that provides a reduced channel count.

Methods and systems of improving tinnitus in a patient in need thereof is provided. The method can include delivering an ultrasound signal to a target site of the patient's brain. The target site can include the medial geniculate nucleus, the nucleus accumbens, the caudate nucleus, the pulvinar nucleus, the insula, the subcallosal anterior cingulate area, the cingulate cortex, the auditory cortex, or combinations thereof. The method can be performed without delivering microbubbles to open the blood brain barrier. The ultrasound signal can have a Mechanical Index of between about 1.5 and about 5.0 and/or an acoustic pressure of between about 0.55 MPa and about 2.5 MPa.

A histotripsy therapy system configured for the treatment of brain tissue is provided, which may include any number of features. In one embodiment, the system includes an ultrasound therapy transducer, a drainage catheter, and a plurality of piezoelectric sensors disposed in the drainage catheter. The ultrasound therapy is configured to transmit ultrasound pulses into the brain to generate cavitation that liquefies a target tissue in the brain. The drainage catheter is configured to detect the ultrasound pulses. An aberration correction algorithm can be executed by the system based on the ultrasound pulses measured by the drainage catheter to automatically correct for an aberration effect caused by the ultrasound pulses passing through a skullcap of the patient.

Apparatus, methods and kits are provided for X-ray guided focused ultrasound treatment that simplify focused ultrasound treatment. The apparatus comprises an arm, a cradle, a focused ultrasound (FUS) transducer having a central axis that is affixed in to the cradle and configured to transmit an ultrasound therapeutic energy beam to a treatment location within a patient and an imaging workstation connected to an X-ray imaging unit. The FUS is further connected to a controller to control application of the FUS. The kits are utilizing coupling member (s).

Ultrasound transducer element arrays using acoustic ensonification drive patterns via a patient interface for sonosensitizer activation in sonodynamic therapy. Incoherent acoustic field generation varying phase, frequencies, and/or amplitude via controlled delivery of low intensity planar acoustic waves. Method includes generating a first and a second signal to generate respective acoustic ensonification drive patterns with phase, frequency, and amplitude and generating at least one relative phase, frequency or amplitude difference to generate a third incoherent acoustic ensonification pattern to activate a sonosensitizer. Calibration and complementary therapy procedures to improve cell susceptibility of cells to sonodynamic therapy are disclosed.

Embodiments are provided that enhance ultrasound efficacy by for example, high efficiency, signal measurement, calibration, and assurance systems with a control system radio-frequency (RF) driver configured to drive one or more focused ultrasound transducers. The RF driver can comprise one or more power amplifiers including one or more III-V semiconductors, (e.g., gallium nitride GaN, GaAs, GaSb, InP, InAs, InSb, InGaAs, AlSb, AlGaAs, and/or AlGaN) field-effect transistors to efficiently provide high power with distinct narrow-band RF signals over a wide frequency range. The RF driver can include a power measurement and/or calibration system to monitor the amplitude and phase of the RF signal output from the power amplifier and estimate the amount of RF power delivered to the ultrasound transducers.

Systems and techniques are provided for generating histotripsy therapy pulses using full cycle transmit. An ultrasonic system may include a transducer array and amplifier electronics. The transducer array may include transducer elements. The transducer elements may be positioned on the transducer array such that the separation between neighboring transducer elements of the transducer elements in both elevation and azimuth is no more than one wavelength of the ultrasonic center frequency of the transducer array. The amplifier electronics may drive the transducer array.