Ultrasound treatment device and methods of use

• US 10,561,862 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Slayton, Michael H
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hien N
• Application Number:
  US14/217,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,164 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0034 Skin treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0065 Concave transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0095 by modifying an excitation signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

In some embodiments, an ultrasound treatment system can comprise: a ultrasound transducer comprising a subdivided surface comprising a plurality of electronically isolated pieces; a power source coupled to at least two of the pieces, wherein the power supply is configured to independently shape a temporal delay or a spatial delay, as compared to each other, of acoustic energy emitted from the at least two pieces; wherein each of the at least two pieces shape the acoustic energy, independently, into a thermal zone in subcutaneous tissue.

Claims

1. An ultrasound treatment system comprising:

an ultrasound transducer comprising a subdivided surface comprising a plurality of electronically isolated pieces, each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces configured to independently generate planar waves;

a power source coupled to at least two of the electronically isolated pieces, wherein the power source is configured to independently shape a temporal delay or a spatial delay, as compared to each other, of acoustic energy emitted from the at least two of the pieces;

wherein each of the at least two electronically isolated pieces shape the acoustic energy, independently, into a thermal zone in subcutaneous tissue.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two electronically isolated pieces are configured to not provide electronic focusing of the acoustic energy into a single location in the subcutaneous tissue.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronically isolated pieces have a dimension greater than 2 wavelengths.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronically isolated pieces have a dimension greater than 5 wavelengths.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces is focused to an independent and separate spot in the subcutaneous tissue.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronically isolated pieces are configured to not focus in one spot.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an insulator material between each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising a holder comprising the insulator material and configured to reposition at least a portion of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronically isolated pieces is 3 pieces, wherein a center piece is coupled to the power source and two side pieces are coupled in parallel to the power source, wherein the power source is configured to independently shape a temporal delay or a spatial delay, of the acoustic energy emitted by the center piece as compared to the acoustic energy emitted by the two side pieces.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic energy emitted by each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces is a non-additive transmission of the acoustic energy.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power source is coupled to each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces, wherein the power supply is configured to independently shape a temporal delay or a spatial delay, as compared to each other, of the acoustic energy emitted from each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces is focused to a different depth within the subcutaneous tissue.

12. An ultrasound treatment system comprising:

an ultrasound transducer comprising a subdivided surface comprising a plurality of electronically isolated pieces, each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces configured to independently generate planar waves;

a power source coupled to the plurality of electronically isolated pieces, wherein the power source is configured for emission of separate bursts of acoustic energy emitted from the plurality of electronically isolated pieces;

individual and different lens coupled to at least two of the electronically isolated pieces, wherein the individual and different lens configured to independently shape a temporal delay or a spatial delay, as compared to each other, of the acoustic energy emitted from the at least two electronically isolated pieces

wherein the bursts of acoustic energy emitted by each of the at least two electronically isolated pieces are shaped independently, into separate thermal zones in subcutaneous tissue.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of electronically isolated pieces have a dimension greater than 5 wavelengths.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the acoustic energy emitted by each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces is a non-additive transmission of the acoustic energy.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces is focused to an independent and separate spot in the subcutaneous tissue.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of electronically isolated pieces is focused to a different depth within the subcutaneous tissue.