Systems and methods are described for the monitoring of patient motion via the detection of changes in capacitance, as measured using a capacitance position sensing electrode array. The changes in capacitance may be processed to determine a corresponding positional offset, for example, using a calibration data set relating capacitance to offset for each electrode of the array. The detected positional offset may be employed to provide feedback to a surgeon or operator of a medical device, or directly to the medical device for the control thereof. A medical procedure may be interrupted when the positional offset is detected to exceed a threshold. Alternatively, the detected positional offset may be employed to manually or automatically reconfigure a medical device to compensate for the detected change in position. Various configurations of capacitive position sensing devices are disclosed, including embodiment in incorporating capacitive sensing electrodes with a mask or other support structure.

Some embodiments relate to a method of reducing excess mucosa production and/or secretion in the respiratory tract, comprising: introducing into a respiratory tract lumen a device configured for damaging nerve tissue or blocking neural conduction in the surroundings of said lumen, the device comprising a plurality of energy emitters; positioning the energy emitters of the device inside the lumen at a distance from walls of the lumen; and activating the energy emitters to emit energy suitable to damage the nerve tissue enough to suppress parasympathetic nerve activity which causes excess mucosa production and/or secretion.

The present disclosure provides a method for determining an ultrasound focus location in a thermal image. In one aspect, the method includes obtaining a magnetic resonance thermal image of a tissue heated by a focused ultrasound and correcting a chemical shift and a k-space shift of a monitored ultrasound focus location in the magnetic resonance thermal image such that the monitored ultrasound focus location is aligned with a real physical ultrasound focus location. Correcting the chemical shift includes correcting a first spatial error of the monitored ultrasound focus location caused by resonance frequency changes of hydrogen nuclei due to environmental differences of water molecules. Correcting the k-space shift includes correcting a second spatial error of the monitored ultrasound focus location caused by temperature error due to spatial variations of a primary magnetic field.

The present disclosure provides a method for determining an ultrasound focus location in a thermal image. In one aspect, the method includes obtaining a magnetic resonance thermal image of a tissue heated by a focused ultrasound and correcting a chemical shift and a k-space shift of a monitored ultrasound focus location in the magnetic resonance thermal image such that the monitored ultrasound focus location is aligned with a real physical ultrasound focus location. Correcting the chemical shift includes correcting a first spatial error of the monitored ultrasound focus location caused by resonance frequency changes of hydrogen nuclei due to environmental differences of water molecules. Correcting the k-space shift includes correcting a second spatial error of the monitored ultrasound focus location caused by temperature error due to spatial variations of a primary magnetic field.

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.

Disclosed herein are devices, systems, and methods for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided procedure in which focused energy is applied to an area of interest of a subject. Disclosed herein are coupling baths comprising an aqueous solution comprising a plurality of paramagnetic particles dispersed in water, wherein, when magnetic resonance images are collected from the area of interest of the subject for MRI guidance: the coupling bath is located proximate to the area of interest, and the composition, the average particle size, the shape, the concentration, the presence or absence of the capping layer, the identity of the plurality of ligands when the capping layer is present, the average thickness of the capping layer when the capping layer is present, or a combination thereof is/are selected such that the coupling bath reduces or prevents imaging artifacts in the magnetic resonance images for the MRI guidance.

A hand-held ultrasound device, for placement on a subject, includes a semiconductor device and a housing to support the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; a plurality of pulsers coupled to the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; a plurality of waveform generators configured to drive the plurality of pulsers; receive processing circuitry configured to process ultrasound signals received by the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; and a plurality of independently controllable registers configured to store a plurality of different parameters for the waveform generators.

A hand-held ultrasound device, for placement on a subject, includes a semiconductor device and a housing to support the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; a plurality of pulsers coupled to the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; a plurality of waveform generators configured to drive the plurality of pulsers; receive processing circuitry configured to process ultrasound signals received by the plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements; and a plurality of independently controllable registers configured to store a plurality of different parameters for the waveform generators.

An ultrasound transducer assembly is connectable to an ultrasound system and comprises one or more ultrasound transducer elements supported by a cap. The ultrasound transducer elements are operable to direct ultrasound energy toward brain tissue of a subject and/or to receive echo ultrasound energy when the ultrasound transducer assembly is mounted on the head of the subject. Some embodiments include a fillable jacket coupled to the inner surface of the cap and in acoustic contact with the one or more transducer elements.

Neuromodulation catheter systems with controlled irrigation capabilities and methods for using such systems are disclosed herein. One such method includes, for example, positioning an irrigated neuromodulation catheter at a treatment site within a renal blood vessel of a human patient, delivering neuromodulation energy at the treatment site, and delivering irrigation fluid to the treatment site having characteristics coordinated with the delivered energy. The characteristics can be adjusted to maintain an energy delivery element and/or tissue of the blood vessel at a constant temperature as power is increased. The method can further include monitoring at least one parameter of the tissue and/or of the energy delivery element, and adjusting the neuromodulation energy and/or the characteristics of the irrigation fluid if the at least one parameter falls outside of a treatment range of values.