Acoustically induced blood stasis and in vivo optical spectroscopy

• US 20070055126A1
• Filed: 08/17/2006
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Rochester
• Original Assignee: University of Rochester
• Inventors: Yu, Yan, Liao, Lydia, Winey, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0086 using infrared radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4381 Prostate evaluation or disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0825 for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• 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

Abstract

Ultrasound-induced blood stasis has been observed for more than thirty years. Most of the literature has been focused on the health risks associated with this phenomenon and methods employed to prevent stasis from occurring during ultrasound imaging. To date, experimental observations have been either in vitro or invasive. The current work demonstrates ultrasound-induced blood stasis in murine tumor and nontumor tissue, observed through noninvasive measurements of optical spectroscopy, and discusses possible diagnostic uses for this previously undesirable effect of ultrasound.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosis of a region of interest in a patient, the method comprising:

(a) causing blood stasis in the region of interest using ultrasound; and

(b) performing optical spectroscopy on the arrested blood flow.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnosis is a diagnosis for cancer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of interest is in a breast of the patient.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (b) is performed with an instrument while the instrument is held stationary relative to the region of interest.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the instrument comprises an ultrasound transducer and an ultrasound probe, and wherein the ultrasound transducer and the ultrasound probe are moved within the instrument while the instrument is held stationary relative to the region of interest and while step (b) is performed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the region of interest is in a prostate of the patient.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

step (a) is performed with an ultrasound probe; and

step (b) is performed with an optical fiber probe inserted into a urethra of the patient.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound probe is inserted into a rectum of the patient.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound probe is applied to an abdominal wall of the patient.

10. A method for treatment of a region of interest in a patient, the method comprising:

(a) causing blood stasis in the region of interest using ultrasound; and

(b) performing treatment on the arrested blood flow.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the treatment is drug treatment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the drug treatment uses a photoactive drug.

13. A method for treatment of a region of interest in a patient, the method comprising:

(a) causing blood stasis in the region of interest using ultrasound; and

(b) performing the treatment such that diseased tissue is exposed to the treatment, but healthy tissue is not.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the diseased tissue and the healthy tissue are exposed to different levels of oxygenation.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the diseased tissue comprises a tumor, and wherein tumor is oxygenated and the healthy tissue is deoxygenated.

16. A method of ablating tissue by ultrasound, the method comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of ultrasound transducers;

(b) positioning the plurality of ultrasound transducers relative to the tissue to be ablated such that the plurality of ultrasound transducers produce beams which intersect at a location of the tissue to be ablated; and

(c) ablating the tissue using the beams.

17. A system for diagnosis of a region of interest in a patient, the system comprising:

(a) an ultrasound device for causing blood stasis in the region of interest using ultrasound; and

(b) a diagnostic device for performing optical spectroscopy on the arrested blood flow.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a holding member for holding the system stationary relative to the region of interest.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the ultrasound device comprises an ultrasound transducer and an ultrasound probe, and wherein the ultrasound transducer and the ultrasound probe are movable within the ultrasound device while the system is held stationary relative to the region of interest.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the diagnostic device comprises an optical fiber probe for insertion into a urethra of the patient.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the ultrasound device is configured to be inserted into a rectum of the patient.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the ultrasound device is configured to be applied to an abdominal wall of the patient.

23. A system for treatment of a region of interest in a patient, the system comprising:

(a) an ultrasound device for causing blood stasis in the region of interest using ultrasound; and

(b) a treatment device for performing treatment on the arrested blood flow.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the treatment is drug treatment.

25. A system for treatment of a region of interest in a patient, the system comprising:

(a) an ultrasound device for causing blood stasis in the region of interest using ultrasound; and

(b) a treatment device for performing the treatment such that diseased tissue is exposed to the treatment, but healthy tissue is not.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the diseased tissue and the healthy tissue are exposed to different levels of oxygenation.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the diseased tissue comprises a tumor, and wherein tumor is oxygenated and the healthy tissue is deoxygenated.

28. A system for ablating tissue by ultrasound, the system comprising:

a plurality of ultrasound transducers positionable relative to the tissue to be ablated such that the plurality of ultrasound transducers produce beams which intersect at a location of the tissue to be ablated; and

a control device for controlling the transducers for ablating the tissue using the beams.