Methods for diagnosing a pathologic tissue membrane, as well as a focused ultrasound apparatus and methods of treatment are disclosed to perform ureterocele puncture noninvasively using focused ultrasound-generated cavitation or boiling bubbles to controllably erode a hole through the tissue. An example ultrasound apparatus may include (a) a therapy transducer having a treatment surface, wherein the therapy transducer comprises a plurality of electrically isolated sections, (b) at least one concave acoustic lens defining a therapy aperture in the treatment surface of the therapy transducer, (c) an imaging aperture defined by either the treatment surface of the therapy transducer or by the at least one concave acoustic lens and (d) an ultrasound imaging probe axially aligned with a central axis of the therapy aperture.

A system for delivering drugs or other molecules to the brain comprises an ultrasound imaging transducer configured to image structures such as the circle of Willis within a patient's head by way of a low attenuation acoustic window. The system includes a processor configured to register the ultrasound images to previously obtained images which also include the structures. The system includes ultrasound transducer elements operable to deliver ultrasound energy to a target region to cause the blood brain barrier to open. The system may include a drug delivery system that may be operated to deliver a drug to the patient in coordination with opening the blood brain barrier, Coordinates of the target region relative to the ultrasound imaging transducer are determined using registration information.

An ultrasound transducer array (100) is disclosed comprising an array of elongate support members (110) displaceable and/or deformable relative to each other in the elongation direction of said elongate support members, each elongate support member having a patient facing surface carrying an ultrasound transducer tile (120); and a plurality of sensors (115), each adapted to detect the relative displacement and/or deformation of one of said elongate support members. An ultrasound system (10) including such an ultrasound transducer array and an operating method (200) of such an ultrasound system are also disclosed.

An ultrasound imaging and therapy device includes an array of concentric annular ultrasound transducers, and an ultrasound imaging device situated inside an innermost transducer of the plurality of concentric annular ultrasound transducers, wherein it further comprises a mechanical linkage allowing a tilting movement of the array of concentric annular ultrasound transducers with respect to the ultrasound imaging device and in that the ultrasound imaging device protrudes in an axial direction from the array of concentric annular ultrasound transducers; whereby the ultrasound imaging device can be kept stationary and in direct or indirect contact with a patient's skin while the array of concentric annular ultrasound transducers is tilted so as to move a focal point of ultrasound waves generated by the concentric annular ultrasound transducers within an imaging region of the ultrasound imaging device.

Disclosed are methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable media having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform therapeutic ultrasound, such for the treatment of Ischemic reperfusion injury (IRI). The methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable media can involve steps comprising: imaging a target tissue region within said subject, such as wherein the target tissue region comprises spleen tissue; identifying a volume region of interest (ROI) in said target tissue; and applying ultrasonic energy to the ROI, wherein applying the ultrasonic energy comprises emitting a sequence of ultrasonic pulses from an ultrasound transducer, the sequence of ultrasound pulses having predetermined frequency, mechanical index, pulse lengths, and pulse spacings, while performing a volumetric sweep through the ROI systematically for a selected total time duration, such as between about 3 minutes and about 15 minutes.

A system for ultrasound brain treatment through modulation and control of emission of an ultrasound beam. The ultrasound beam includes an ultrasound probe, an ultrasound device, and a processing unit. The ultrasound probe performs an ultrasound scan and collects a stream of ultrasound images of a part of a patient's brain. The ultrasound device selectively modulates and controls the emission of an ultrasound beam on the basis of a desired treatment procedure for the part of the brain. The processing unit, which is in data communication with the ultrasound probe and with the ultrasound device, includes a sampling module, a graphics processing module, and a calculation module. The sampling module samples the stream of ultrasound images collected by the ultrasound probe. The graphic processing module performs a first step of graphic processing of the sampled frames by generating an analysis grid composed of a plurality of cells and elaborating a distribution map of targets to be treated with ultrasound within the part of the patient's brain. The distribution map of targets refers to the plurality of cells. The calculation module determines the ultrasound modulation and control parameters of the ultrasound device on the basis of the desired treatment procedure and the distribution map of targets.

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).

A focused ultrasound stimulation apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a transducer which outputs low intensity/high intensity ultrasound, an acoustic lens which is placed in close contact with a user's skin and is customized to focus the ultrasound onto a target focal point, and a fixture for fixing the transducer and the acoustic lens to each other. The acoustic lens is customized using a 3-dimensional (3D) printer based on the pre-captured user's cranial shape, to focus the ultrasound a desired focus target for each user, thereby improving accuracy compared to conventional ultrasound stimulation apparatus.

The present invention relates to a therapeutic ultrasonic wave generating device. The present invention includes: a rotating motor; an ultrasonic wave generating unit being provided with a transducer generating ultrasonic waves; and a focus rotation movement unit moving the focus of the ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic wave generating unit in a circle on the same plane by receiving a transmission of rotational force of the rotating motor. The present invention enables: the focus of ultrasonic waves to be moved in the circle having a constant radius at a uniform depth under the skin; and energy to be applied uniformly and evenly within the movement radius, thereby enabling enhancement of therapeutic performance.

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.