METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ULTRASOUND TISSUE TREATMENT
First Claim
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1. A method of treatment of soft tissue, said method comprising:
- a) placing at least two ultrasound transducers in proximity to a tissue protrusion;
b) emitting ultrasound energy into the tissue protrusion in a pulse or continuous operation mode from said at least two ultrasound transducers;
c) receiving by at least one of said transducers at least a portion of the ultrasound energy emitted and transmitted through said tissue protrusion by the other transducers; and
,d) analyzing said received portion of the ultrasound energy to provide data for real time monitoring of at least one of;
a coupling of the ultrasound energy to the tissue protrusion, an aggregate state of said tissue volume, a sound velocity in said tissue, and a beginning of fat tissue destruction.
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method of treatment of soft tissue where at least two ultrasound transducers are applied to a tissue protrusion and operated to emit the protrusion ultrasound radiation in pulse or continuous operation mode. At least one of the transducers receives a portion of the ultrasound power emitted by the other transducer and transmitted through the protrusion. A controller analyzes the received portion of the ultrasound and employs the data for actively monitoring the ultrasound radiation with tissue coupling. Disclosed is also an apparatus enabling implementation of the method.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method of treatment of soft tissue, said method comprising:
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a) placing at least two ultrasound transducers in proximity to a tissue protrusion; b) emitting ultrasound energy into the tissue protrusion in a pulse or continuous operation mode from said at least two ultrasound transducers; c) receiving by at least one of said transducers at least a portion of the ultrasound energy emitted and transmitted through said tissue protrusion by the other transducers; and
,d) analyzing said received portion of the ultrasound energy to provide data for real time monitoring of at least one of;
a coupling of the ultrasound energy to the tissue protrusion, an aggregate state of said tissue volume, a sound velocity in said tissue, and a beginning of fat tissue destruction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of treatment of soft tissue, said method comprising:
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a) placing proximate to a tissue protrusion at least two ultrasound transducers; b) causing said ultrasound transducers to emit ultrasound energy into a common tissue volume in said protrusion and operating said transducers at least part of the time to emit ultrasound energy and at least part of the time to receive the emitted ultrasound energy; c) receiving the ultrasound energy transmitted through said protrusion; and d) processing the received ultrasound energy by employing it for actively monitoring said ultrasound energy with tissue coupling. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of operating an applicator used for treatment of soft tissue, said method comprising:
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a) providing an applicator with at least two ultrasound emitting transducers, and b) operating said transducers in a pulse mode, such that said pulse duration of an ultrasound energy signal is shorter than the time it takes for the ultrasound energy signal front emitted by one transducer to propagate through soft tissue under treatment and arrive at the second transducer. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A method of avoiding damage to soft tissue during ultrasound tissue treatment, said method comprising:
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a) forming a soft tissue protrusion; b) placing at least two transducers proximate to the soft tissue protrusion; c) emitting an ultrasound energy signal by said transducers into a common target volume in said soft tissue protrusion; d) operating said transducers to deliver the ultrasound energy signal in pulses to said target volume, such that high ultrasound radiation density is generated in said target volume; and e) arranging the operational periods of said transducers such that ultrasound energy signal emitted by one transducer only passes at a time through a section of outer tissue.
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26. An apparatus for ultrasound treatment of soft tissue, said apparatus comprising:
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a) an applicator for generating a protrusion of said soft tissue, said applicator having at least one ultrasound energy transmitting transducer and at least one ultrasound energy receiving transducer; and b) a controller for driving said applicator and having a signal processing and analyzing unit for processing an ultrasound energy signal transmitted by said transmitting transducer and received by said receiving transducer. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An apparatus for ultrasound treatment of soft tissue, said apparatus comprising:
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a) an applicator for forming a soft tissue protrusion, said applicator comprising; i) at least one ultrasound transducer applying ultrasound radiation to said soft tissue protrusion, and ii) at least one ultrasound radiation receiver for receiving the ultrasound radiation transmitted through said soft tissue protrusion; and b) a controller for controlling operation of said applicator, said controller comprising; i) an ultrasound driver for driving said ultrasound transducer; and ii) a processing and analyzing unit for processing the signal received by said ultrasound radiation receiver and setting operation parameters of said ultrasound driver. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. An apparatus for ultrasound treatment of soft tissue, said apparatus comprising:
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a) an applicator for forming a soft tissue protrusion, said applicator comprising; i) at least two ultrasound transducers applying ultrasound radiation to said soft tissue protrusion, wherein at least a section of each of said transducers operates as a receiver; ii) a pair of RF electrodes, and iii) a microphone for monitoring audible effects of ultrasound to tissue coupling, and b) a controller for controlling operation of said applicator. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. A method for ultrasound radiation treatment of soft tissue, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) creating a tissue protrusion in the soft tissue; b) placing at least two ultrasound transducers in proximity to the tissue protrusion and on substantially opposing sides of the tissue protrusion; c) emitting an ultrasound energy signal into the tissue protrusion from said at least two ultrasound transducers; d) stopping the emission of the ultrasound energy signal at a time less than the time required for the ultrasound energy signal to propagate through the issue protrusion; e) receiving by at least one of said transducers at least a portion of the ultrasound energy signal emitted and transmitted through said tissue protrusion by the other transducers; and
,d) analyzing said received portion of the ultrasound energy ascertain characteristics of the tissue protrusion.
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Specification