ULTRASONIC TREATMENT AND IMAGING OF ADIPOSE TISSUE

• US 20080015435A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medicis Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: LipoSonix, Inc. (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Cribbs, Robert, Hillstead, Rick, Hennige, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 7,841,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22008 used or promoted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0858 involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4494 characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements devices for short-range imaging using particular transducer elements arrangements under G01S15/8909; arrangements of transducers in generation of mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency B06B1/0607
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0056 Beam shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0065 Concave transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0073 using multiple frequencies
• 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 2007/027 with multiple foci created simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A system for the destruction of adipose tissue utilizing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) within a patient'"'"'s body. The system comprises a controller for data storage and the operation and control of a plurality of elements. One elements is a means for mapping a human body to establish three dimensional coordinate position data for existing adipose tissue. The controller is able to identify the plurality of adipose tissue locations on said human body and establish a protocol for the destruction of the adipose tissue. A HIFU transducer assembly having one or more piezoelectric element(s) is used along with at least one sensor wherein the sensor provides feed back information to the controller for the safe operation of the piezoelectric element(s). The sensor is electronically coupled to the controller, and the controller provides essential treatment command information to one or more piezoelectric element(s) based on positioning information obtained from the three dimensional coordinate position data.

Claims

1. A passive imaging device comprising:

a plurality of sensors adapted to detect sound created by cavitation or boiling of organic tissue; and

a display device adapted to display images corresponding to the sound detected by the plurality of sensors.

2. A method of applying ultrasonic energy to organic tissue, comprising:

emitting ultrasonic energy from a transducer into organic tissue in a sequence of on/off cycles, such that heat produced during the emitting is not conducted away from the transducer between consecutive on cycles in the sequence of on/off cycles.

3. The method of applying ultrasonic energy according to claim 2, wherein the transducer is operated at peak power while maintaining an average power.

4. The method of applying ultrasonic energy according to claim 2, wherein the transducer is cooled via air cooling.

5. A method of identifying fat tissue to be removed from a patient, comprising:

imaging a patient with a linear array of optical cameras and ultrasonic imaging system to mark contours of constant fat thickness;

creating a skin fingerprint by printing an image from the step of imaging; and

identifying individual fat thicknesses with different colors of ink.