An ultrasound-emitting apparatus for applying selective treatments to hypodermic tissue (adipose tissue and connective tissue) in body rejuvenation/remodelling processes, by an electric-pulse generator, an ultrasound transducer (3), an electronic control device (6) provided with specific software that controls the frequency, voltage and work cycle of the pulse generator; and application means (4) for orienting and directing the acoustic field on the area of the patient/user to be treated, wherein, in each firing, the transducer emits an acoustic field with an energy density no greater than 0.7 W/cm.sup.2 and a minimum emission duration of 100 ms. Preferably, the transducer emits either at a single frequency or in a frequency sweep, in a frequency range of 185-333 kHz, and even more preferably at 244 kHz.

Systems and 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. Lifting sagging tissue on a face, neck, and/or body are described. Treatment with heat is provided in several embodiments.

Embodiments of a dermatological cosmetic treatment and imaging system and method can include use of transducer to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously produce multiple cosmetic treatment zones in tissue. The system can include a hand wand, a removable transducer module, a control module, and/or graphical user interface. In some embodiments, the cosmetic treatment system may be used in cosmetic procedures, including brow lifts, fat reduction, sweat reduction, and treatment of the décolletage. Skin tightening, lifting and amelioration of wrinkles and stretch marks are provided.

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.

Method and system for localizing a region of interest in a medium in which cavitation occurs. Method for localizing a region of interest (R) in a medium (M) in which cavitation occurs, the method comprising the steps consisting in: producing cavitation in the region of interest (R), the cavitation generating an acoustic signal, at each of at least three separate positions, detecting a cavitation signal representative of the acoustic signal of the cavitation, for at least two pairs of cavitation signals, determining a delay between the cavitation signals of each pair of cavitation signals, calculating a localization of the region of interest (R) based on the delays and the positions.

Embodiments of a dermatological cosmetic treatment and imaging system and method can include use of transducer to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously produce multiple cosmetic treatment zones in tissue. The system can include a hand wand, a removable transducer module, a control module, and/or graphical user interface. In some embodiments, the cosmetic treatment system may be used in cosmetic procedures, including brow lifts, fat reduction, sweat reduction, and treatment of the décolletage. Skin tightening, lifting and amelioration of wrinkles and stretch marks are provided.

A system and method for ultrasound treatment of skin laxity are provided. Systems and methods can include ultrasound imaging of the region of interest for localization of the treatment area, delivering ultrasound energy at a depth and pattern to achieve the desired therapeutic effects, and/or monitoring the treatment area to assess the results and/or provide feedback. In an embodiment, a treatment system and method can be configured for producing arrays of sub-millimeter and larger zones of thermal ablation to treat the epidermal, superficial dermal, mid-dermal or deep dermal components of tissue.

Systems and methods for non-invasive fat reduction can include targeting a region of interest below a surface of skin, which contains fat and delivering ultrasound energy to the region of interest. The ultrasound energy generates a thermal lesion with said ultrasound energy on a fat cell. The lesion can create an opening in the surface of the fat cell, which allows the draining of a fluid out of the fat cell and through the opening. In addition, by applying ultrasound energy to fat cells to increase the temperature to between 43 degrees and 49 degrees, cell apoptosis can be realized, thereby resulting in reduction of fat.

A therapeutic probe having a transducer for focusing the ultrasonic waves into a first focal area, the emission surface of which has, within a profile plane, two concave curve segments which have a finite length and which are symmetrical relative to a plane of symmetry, or to an axis of symmetry. Within the profile plane, both concave curve segments extend along arcs of first and second non-coincident circles that intersect each other, and each curve segment has an acoustic axis intersecting the axis of symmetry, or the plane of symmetry, between the first focal area and the emission surface, the acoustic axes being spaced apart from each other such that the beams from the emission surface intersect each other so as to create a second focal area located in and situated between the first focal area and the emission surface.

A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using the same transducer elements of a transducer array. The system may use a multi-channel driver to drive the elements of the array. The system uses a real-time monitoring and feedback image control of the therapy based on imaging data acquired using the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) of transducer elements. Further, for example, multi-modal coded excitation may be used in both imaging and therapy modes. Still further, for example, adaptive, real-time refocusing for improved imaging and therapy can be achieved using, for example, array directivity vectors obtained from DMUA pulse-echo data.