METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COMBINED ENERGY THERAPY PROFILE

• US 20080221491A1
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2004
• 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 9,011,336 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22024 with a part reflecting mechanical vibrations, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22028 arrays, e.g. phased arrays
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4281 characterised by sound-transmitting media or devices for coupling the transducer to the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0052 using the same transducer for therapy and imaging
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 intracavitary

Abstract

A method and system for treating tissue with a combined therapy profile is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, ultrasound energy is used to treat numerous depths of tissue within a region of interest and the spatial and temporal properties of the ultrasound energy are varied for more effective treatment. The method and system of the present invention are configured to treat all of the tissue from the surface on down and not spare intervening tissue.

Claims

1. A method of treating tissue at multiple depths within a region of interest comprising:

providing a device that emits a first beam of energy and a second beam of energy that targets multiple depths of tissue;

directing the first beam of energy to a first location within the region of interest and the second beam of energy to a second location within the region of interest;

wherein

the first beam of energy and the second beam of energy each have unique spatial and temporal properties and the first beam of energy and the second beam of energy each treats different depths of tissue.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the energy is ultrasound energy.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first beam of energy is ultrasound energy and the second beam of energy is monopolar or bipolar radio-frequency current.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first beam of energy is ultrasound energy and the second beam of energy is photon-based energy.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein first beam of energy is ultrasound energy and the second beam of energy is mechanical energy.

6. The method according to claim 2 wherein the first beam of energy is ultrasound energy and the second beam of ultrasound energy are applied simultaneously.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first beam of energy raises the temperature to a higher base level and the second beam of energy raises the temperature to a level higher than the base level.

8. A method of treating tissue comprising:

providing a region of interest comprising tissue that includes a surface and multiple depths of tissue beneath the surface;

providing a first and second beam of ultrasound energy wherein the first and second beam of ultrasound energy target and effect the surface of the tissue and the multiple depths of tissue beneath the surface; and

wherein the first and second beams of ultrasound energy have different spatial and temporal characteristics.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the spatial and temporal characteristics of the first and second beams of ultrasound energy are selected to create a predetermined energy profile within the region of interest.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein the first and second beams of ultrasound energy are applied simultaneously.

11. The method according to claim 8 wherein the first beam of ultrasound energy raises the temperature to a higher base level and the second beam of ultrasound energy raises the temperature to a level higher than the base level.

12. A method of treating tissue with ultrasound energy comprising:

applying a first application of ultrasound energy at one location within a region of interest with defined spatial and temporal characteristics;

applying a second application of ultrasound energy at another location within the region of interest with different defined spatial and temporal characteristics than the first application of ultrasound energy;

wherein

the first application of ultrasound energy and the second application of ultrasound energy are applied simultaneously to the region of interest to provide a combined energy profile different than profiles created by use of the first and second application independently.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the first application of ultrasound energy and the second application of ultrasound energy are applied at targets that are in a linear relationship to one another.

14. A treatment system configured to create a combined energy profile comprising:

a control system configured for control of said treatment system;

a transducer comprising a first transduction element facing the region of interest and configured to emit ultrasound energy with a first set of spatial and temporal properties and a second transduction element facing the region of interest and configured to emit ultrasound energy with a second set of spatial and temporal properties wherein;

the first set of spatial and temporal properties are distinct from the second set of spatial and temporal properties.

15. The treatment system according to claim 14, wherein the transducer comprises an annular array with at least two rings and the first transduction element is located within the first ring and the second transduction element in located in the second ring.

16. The treatment system according to claim 14 wherein the first transduction element emits ultrasound energy at frequency in the range of 0.15 to 10 MHz and the second transduction element emits ultrasound energy in a frequency in the range of 2 to 20 MHz.

17. A treatment system configured to create a combined energy profile comprising:

a control system configured for control of said treatment system;

a transducer comprising an annular array with multiple rings that is in operative communication with the control system;

a plurality of transduction elements wherein at lest one transduction element is in one ring of the annular array that is configured to emit ultrasound energy at a first frequency and a second transduction element is located in a different ring of the annular array that is configured to emit ultrasound energy at a second frequency.

18. The system according to claim 17 further comprising a light source emitting light in the range of 400-450 nm.

19. The system according to claim 17 further comprising a light source emitting light in the infrared range.

20. The system according to claim 17 further comprising a display.

21. The system according to claim 17 wherein the system is in a hand-held format.

22. The system according to claim 19 further comprising a disposable tip attached to the transducer.