Some embodiments of the invention relate to an applicator for applying ultrasound energy to a tissue volume, comprising: an array comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducers, the transducers arranged side by side, the transducers configured to emit unfocused ultrasound energy suitable to thermally damage at least a portion of the tissue volume, each of the transducers comprising a coating thin enough so as not to substantially affect heat transfer via the coating to the tissue; and a cooling module configured to apply cooling via the transducers to prevent overheating of a surface of the tissue volume being contacted by the transducers.

Some embodiments of the invention relate to an applicator for applying ultrasound energy to a tissue volume, comprising: an array comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducers, the transducers arranged side by side, the transducers configured to emit unfocused ultrasound energy suitable to thermally damage at least a portion of the tissue volume, each of the transducers comprising a coating thin enough so as not to substantially affect heat transfer via the coating to the tissue; and a cooling module configured to apply cooling via the transducers to prevent overheating of a surface of the tissue volume being contacted by the transducers.

A tissue fusing clamp comprises a pair of components pivotably attached, having a component end with a finger loop for manipulation of the components, and each component having a fusing end comprising fusing jaws that are able to be motivated towards one another into a closed position. A depressor depresses tissue between the tissue areas to be fused, resulting in a tightening of the tissue after fusing. The fusing jaws may each comprise a fusing element, such as an ultrasonic transducer or laser, that is in electrical communication with a fusing circuit for providing electrical power to the fusing element as desired by a user. The fusing circuit may be controlled by use of a foot switch or other controller that may be manipulated by the user when it is desired to activate the fusing elements.

A tissue fusing clamp comprises a pair of components pivotably attached, having a component end with a finger loop for manipulation of the components, and each component having a fusing end comprising fusing jaws that are able to be motivated towards one another into a closed position. A depressor depresses tissue between the tissue areas to be fused, resulting in a tightening of the tissue after fusing. The fusing jaws may each comprise a fusing element, such as an ultrasonic transducer or laser, that is in electrical communication with a fusing circuit for providing electrical power to the fusing element as desired by a user. The fusing circuit may be controlled by use of a foot switch or other controller that may be manipulated by the user when it is desired to activate the fusing elements.

According to a computer-implemented method for planning therapeutic ultrasound treatment of a three-dimensional tissue region, a tissue model containing a material parameter relating to deformability and/or elasticity of a corresponding material of the tissue region is provided in spatially resolved and/or directionally resolved form. Based on the tissue model, part of the tissue region is determined as a treatment region, and, depending on the tissue model and the treatment region, a therapeutic plan is generated to change the at least one material parameter. The therapeutic plan includes at least one characterization parameter that characterizes a plurality of lesions with respect to spatial arrangement and/or pose and/or shape and/or at least one configuration parameter of the plurality of lesions for a therapeutic ultrasound apparatus for generating the plurality of lesions.

According to a computer-implemented method for planning therapeutic ultrasound treatment of a three-dimensional tissue region, a tissue model containing a material parameter relating to deformability and/or elasticity of a corresponding material of the tissue region is provided in spatially resolved and/or directionally resolved form. Based on the tissue model, part of the tissue region is determined as a treatment region, and, depending on the tissue model and the treatment region, a therapeutic plan is generated to change the at least one material parameter. The therapeutic plan includes at least one characterization parameter that characterizes a plurality of lesions with respect to spatial arrangement and/or pose and/or shape and/or at least one configuration parameter of the plurality of lesions for a therapeutic ultrasound apparatus for generating the plurality of lesions.

In a computer-implemented method, a three-dimensional medical image of an examination object is created taking into consideration at least one temporally and/or spatially variable cavitation bubble in the examination object. The cavitation bubble is created by at least one ultrasound pulse emitted by an ultrasound system into the examination object. The computer-implemented method comprises: acquiring a multiplicity of projection images of the examination object with a medical imaging system; determining at least one cavitation bubble projection image from the multiplicity of projection images as a function of a synchronization between a medical imaging system and the ultrasound system; determining a multiplicity of corrected projection images; reconstructing the three-dimensional medical image as a function of the multiplicity of corrected projection images; and provisioning the three-dimensional medical image.

An apparatus for damaging or killing cancer cells in a living human body comprising a temperature monitoring apparatus that allows a user to monitor the temperature of a tumor and the surrounding tissue, such that when the tumor is at a temperature greater than the surrounding tissue, either because that is the nature of the tumor or because the tumor temperature has been raised through the introduction of an organic substance, an energy source may be used to elevate the temperature of the tumor above a critical temperature that damages or kills the tumor, but does not kill the surrounding non-cancerous cells because they start off at a lower temperature and are never allowed to go above the critical temperature that damages or kills those non-cancerous cells.

An apparatus for damaging or killing cancer cells in a living human body comprising a temperature monitoring apparatus that allows a user to monitor the temperature of a tumor and the surrounding tissue, such that when the tumor is at a temperature greater than the surrounding tissue, either because that is the nature of the tumor or because the tumor temperature has been raised through the introduction of an organic substance, an energy source may be used to elevate the temperature of the tumor above a critical temperature that damages or kills the tumor, but does not kill the surrounding non-cancerous cells because they start off at a lower temperature and are never allowed to go above the critical temperature that damages or kills those non-cancerous cells.

A thermometry apparatus used during hyperthermia therapy, which has a mat that can be used in combination with a non-invasive thermometry system. The mat has a top face and a bottom face. Between the top face and the bottom face are embedded wires. The wires provide skin and treatment head thermal information based on the thermal coefficient of resistance of the wires or via two metals in a thermocouple configuration. The mat is placed between the skin and an ultrasound head. The mat is flexible enough to conform to the patient’s body shape at the treatment point. The mat may be used in combination with an infrared camera, where at least one IR camera is pointed at a semi perpendicular angle to the mat, whereby the IR camera measures the temperature directly from the mat side and continually below the ultrasound head providing thermal depth measurements.