Method and Apparatus for High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Therapy

• US 20080188745A1
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chongqing Peninsula Medical Technology Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Chongqing Peninsula Medical Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Lin, Tao, Chen, Wenzhi, Wang, Zhibiao, Wang, Zhilong, Zhao, Chunliang
• Application Number:
  US11/794,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20080188745A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

The apparatus for high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy of the present invention usually comprises a ultrasound transducer, an image acquisition device, a driving unit for driving said ultrasound transducer and mechanical drive means for mechanically driving said ultrasound transducer and image acquisition device together. Additionally, this apparatus for high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy further comprises a signal processing unit connected to image acquisition device for receiving and saving the original images of the target area prior to treatment and for receiving and saving the images of the target area in a certain time during high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment and for evaluating the therapeutic effects according to the images of the target area before and after treatment, and a control unit respectively connected to signal processing unit, driving unit and mechanical driving means. When the signal processing unit judges that the therapeutic requirements have been met, the control unit controls the driving unit and mechanical driving means to stop the working of ultrasound transducer and when the signal processing unit judges that the therapeutic requirements have not been met, the control unit controls the driving unit and mechanical driving means to make the ultrasound transducer continue to work.

Claims

1. An apparatus for high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy of the present invention, comprising:

a ultrasound transducer to emit high-intensity focused ultrasound to the target area to be treated;

an image acquisition device for locating the target area to be treated and acquiring the images of the target area;

a driving unit connected to said ultrasound transducer for driving said ultrasound transducer to emit ultrasound waves to the target area to be treated;

mechanical drive means connected to said ultrasound transducer for mechanically driving said ultrasound transducer and image acquisition device together so as to scan the target area to be treated.

a signal processing unit connected to image acquisition device for receiving and saving the original images of the target area acquired by image acquisition device prior to treatment and for receiving and saving the images of the target area acquired by image acquisition device in a certain time during high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment and for evaluating the therapeutic effects according to the images of the target area before and after treatment; and

a control unit respectively connected to signal processing unit, driving unit and mechanical driving means, when the signal processing unit judges that the therapeutic requirements have been met, the control unit controls the driving unit and mechanical driving means to stop the working of ultrasound transducer and when the signal processing unit judges that the therapeutic requirements have not been met, the control unit controls the driving unit and mechanical driving means to make the ultrasound transducer continue to work, wherein

said signal processing unit calculates respectively the gray scale of the image of the target area before treatment and the gray scale of the image of the target area after treatment and then the gray scale changes of these images of the target area before and after treatment are calculated, if the gray scale changes from 5 to 10, it means that therapeutic requirement has been met.

4. The apparatus for high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy according to claim 1, wherein said certain time refers to the time after the ultrasound transducer has scanned the target area to be treated at least for one time.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

5. A method for high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy, wherein comprising the following steps:

acquiring original images, i.e. receiving and acquiring the original images of the target area to be treated prior to treatment;

making a treatment, i.e. emitting high-intensity focused ultrasound and applying it to the target area;

evaluating the therapeutic effects, i.e. acquiring and saving the images of the target area in a certain time during HIFU treatment and evaluating the therapeutic effects according to the images of the target area before and after treatment. When the therapeutic requirements have been met, the treatment on the target area is stopped and when the therapeutic requirements have not been met, the treatment on the target area is continued, wherein

said step of evaluating the therapeutic effects comprising the step of calculating respectively the gray scale of the image of the target area before treatment and the gray scale of the image of the target area after treatment and then the gray scale changes of these images of the target area before and after treatment are calculated, if the gray scale changes from 5 to 10, it means that therapeutic requirement has been met.

8. The method for high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy according to claim 5, wherein certain time refers to the time after the ultrasound transducer has scanned the target area to be treated at least for one time.

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)