Method and system for combined ultrasound treatment

• US 20060074355A1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Makin, Inder Raj S., Slayton, Michael H., Barthe, Peter G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,530,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0245 with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0073 using multiple frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A non-invasive method and system for combined ultrasound treatment are provided. An exemplary combined ultrasound treatment system comprises a transducer configured to deliver ultrasound energy to provide two or more energy effects to a region of interest. The energy effects facilitate the initiation of one or more responses in the region of interest. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a transducer is configured to deliver energy over varying temporal and/or spatial distributions in order to provide energy effects and initiate responses in a region of interest.

Claims

1. An ultrasound system configured for providing treatment comprising:

a transducer configured to provide at least two energy effects to a region of interest;

wherein said at least two energy effects are configured to facilitate at least one response in said region of interest.

2. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said energy effects include at least two of thermal, cavitational, hydrodynamic, and resonance induced tissue effects.

3. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one response includes at least one of hemostasis, subsequent revascularization/angiogenesis, growth of interconnective tissue, tissue reformation, ablation of existing tissue, collagen reformation, enhanced delivery and activation of medicants, stimulation of protein synthesis and increased cell permeability.

4. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said region of interest includes at least one of a superficial, subcutaneous, and an inner region of a patient.

5. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said transducer comprises a variable-thickness transduction element.

6. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said transducer comprises a single broadband transducer excited with two or more frequencies to provide an adequate output for a desired response.

7. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said transducer comprises at least two transducers, wherein a first transducer is configured for low frequency treatment and a second transducer is configured for high-frequency treatment.

8. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said transducer comprises an array configured for providing a focused treatment.

9. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said transducer comprises an electronic focusing array.

10. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 1, wherein said transducer comprises an annular array.

11. An ultrasound system according to claim 1, wherein said at least two energy effects are configured to facilitate at least two responses in said region of interest.

12. An ultrasound system according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasound treatment system further comprises a coupling system configured for acoustic coupling between said transducer and the region of interest.

13. An ultrasound system according to claim 12, wherein said coupling system is configured for controlled cooling of an interface surface proximate a region of interest to facilitate control of thermal energy effects of said ultrasound treatment system.

14. An ultrasound system according to claim 1, wherein said ultrasound treatment system is configured for providing at least one of therapy, imaging and tissue parameter monitoring.

15. An ultrasound system according to claim 14, wherein said ultrasound treatment system is configured for providing combined therapy and imaging treatment.

16. A transducer configured for combined ultrasound treatment in a region of interest, said transducer comprising:

at least one transduction element configured for operation at a first frequency to provide a first energy effect and configured for operation at a second frequency to provide a second energy effect; and

wherein said first energy effect and second energy effect are configured to stimulate at least one biological response in said region of interest.

17. The transducer according to claim 16, wherein said first energy effect includes at least one of thermal, cavitational, hydrodynamic, and resonance induced tissue effects, and wherein said second energy effect includes at least one of thermal, cavitational, hydrodynamic, and resonance induced tissue effects, and wherein said second energy effect is different than said first energy effect.

18. The transducer according to claim 16, wherein said at least one biological response includes at least one of hemostasis, subsequent revascularization/angiogenesis, growth of interconnective tissue, tissue reformation, ablation of existing tissue, collagen reformation, enhanced delivery and activation of medicants, stimulation of protein synthesis and increased cell permeability.

19. The transducer according to claim 16, wherein said region of interest includes at least one of a superficial, subcutaneous, and an inner region of a patient.

20. The transducer according to claim 16, wherein said transduction element is a variable-thickness transduction element.

21. The transducer according to claim 16, wherein said wherein said first energy effect and second energy effect are configured to stimulate at least two biological responses in said region of interest.

22. The transducer according to claim 16, wherein said wherein said at least two biological responses are combined to formulate an overall treatment in said region of interest.

23. A method for providing non-invasive ultrasound treatment to a patient, said method comprising:

operating a transducer at a first frequency range to provide a first energy effect to produce a first response in a region of interest; and

operating said transducer at a second frequency range to provide a second energy effect.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein said operating said transducer at a second frequency range to provide a second energy effect produces a second response in said region of interest. effect.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said method further comprises combining said first response and said second response to produce an overall response in said region of interest.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein said step of operating a transducer at a first frequency range to provide a first energy effect to produce a first response in a region of interest comprises operating a transducer at a first frequency range to provide a first energy effect comprising at least one of a thermal, cavitational, hydrodynamic, and a resonance induced tissue effect.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein said step of operating a transducer at a second frequency range to provide a second energy effect comprises operating a transducer at a second frequency range to provide a second energy effect comprising at least one of a thermal, cavitational, hydrodynamic, and a resonance induced tissue effect.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein said step of step of operating a transducer at a first frequency range to provide a first energy effect to produce a first response in a region of interest comprises operating a transducer to produce at least one of a first hemostasis, subsequent revascularization/angiogenesis, growth of interconnective tissue, tissue reformation, ablation of existing tissue, collagen reformation, enhanced delivery and activation of medicants, stimulation of protein synthesis and increased cell permeability response.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein said step of operating a transducer at a second frequency range to provide a second energy effect to produce a second response in a region of interest comprises operating a transducer to produce at least one of a second hemostasis, subsequent revascularization/angiogenesis, growth of interconnective tissue, tissue reformation, ablation of existing tissue, collagen reformation, enhanced delivery and activation of medicants, stimulation of protein synthesis and increased cell permeability response, and wherein said second response is the same as or different from said first response.

30. A method for providing non-invasive ultrasound treatment to a patient, said method comprising:

providing one of a first planar, defocused, and focused energy beam to a region of interest to produce a first energy effect and a corresponding first response; and

providing one of planar, defocused, and focused energy to said region of interest to produce a second energy effect and a corresponding second response.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein said steps of providing one of a planar, defocused and focused energy beam comprise providing an energy beam with the same spatial distribution and amplitude.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein said step of providing one of a first planar, defocused, and focused energy beam to a region of interest to produce a first energy effect comprises providing one of a first planar, defocused, and focused energy beam to a region of interest to produce one of a thermal, cavitational, hydrodynamic, and a resonance induced tissue effect.

33. The method according to claim 30, wherein said step of providing one of a second planar, defocused, and focused energy beam to a region of interest to produce a second energy effect comprises providing one of a second planar, defocused, and focused energy beam to a region of interest to produce one of a thermal, cavitational, hydrodynamic, and a resonance induced tissue effect, and wherein said second energy effect is the same as or different from said first energy effect.

34. The method according to claim 30, wherein said step of providing one of a first planar, defocused, and focused energy beam to a region of interest to produce a first response comprises providing one of a first planar, defocused, and focused energy beam to a region of interest to produce one of a hemostasis, subsequent revascularization/angiogenesis, growth of interconnective tissue, tissue reformation, ablation of existing tissue, collagen reformation, enhanced delivery and activation of medicants, stimulation of protein synthesis and increased cell permeability response.

35. The method according to claim 30, wherein said step of providing one of a second planar, defocused, and focused energy beam to a region of interest to produce a second response comprises providing one of a first planar, defocused, and focused energy beam to a region of interest to produce one of a hemostasis, subsequent revascularization/angiogenesis, growth of interconnective tissue, tissue reformation, ablation of existing tissue, collagen reformation, enhanced delivery and activation of medicants, stimulation of protein synthesis and increased cell permeability response, and wherein said second response is the same as or different from said first response.

36. An ultrasound system configured for providing treatment comprising:

a control system configured for control of the ultrasound system; and

a transducer configured to provide at least two energy effects to a region of interest to facilitate at least one response within a region of interest.

37. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 36, wherein said energy effects include at least two of thermal, cavitational, hydrodynamic, and resonance induced tissue effects.

38. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 36, wherein said at least one response includes at least one of hemostasis, subsequent revascularization/angiogenesis, growth of interconnective tissue, tissue reformation, ablation of existing tissue, collagen reformation, enhanced delivery and activation of medicants, stimulation of protein synthesis and increased cell permeability.

39. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 36, wherein said region of interest includes at least one of a superficial, subcutaneous, and an inner region of a patient.

40. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 36, wherein said transducer comprises a variable-thickness transduction element.

41. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 36, wherein said transducer comprises a broadband transducer excited with two or more frequencies to provide an adequate output for a desired response.

42. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 36, wherein said transducer comprises at least two transducers, wherein a first transducer is configured for low frequency treatment and a second transducer is configured for high-frequency treatment.

43. The ultrasound treatment system according to claim 36, wherein said transducer is configured to provide at least two energy effects to a region of interest to facilitate at least two responses within a region of interest.