Focused energy delivery apparatus method and system

• US 20100042020A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ultrashape Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Ultrashape Ltd.
• Inventors: Ben-Ezra, Shmuel
• Application Number:
  US12/222,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20100042020A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2251 characterised by coupling elements between the apparatus, e.g. shock wave apparatus or locating means, and the patient, e.g. details of bags, pressure control of bag on patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0245 with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric

Abstract

There is provided herein a system, method and an apparatus for delivering focused therapeutic energy, such as ultrasonic energy, the apparatus includes a transducer adapted to transmit focused energy to a target area tissue of a subject body and a positioning element adapted to shift the transducer while transmitting the focused energy to the target area tissue, wherein the positioning element is further adapted to substantially maintain a focal point of the transducer within the target area tissue of the subject body.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering focused therapeutic energy, the apparatus comprising:

a transducer adapted to transmit focused energy to a target area tissue of a subject body; and

a positioning element adapted to shift said transducer while transmitting the focused energy to the target area tissue, wherein said positioning element is further adapted to substantially maintain a focal point of said transducer within the target area tissue of the subject body.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the focused therapeutic energy comprises ultrasonic energy.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transducer is further adapted to maintain acoustic contact between said transducer and a skin surface of the subject body, while the transducer is shifted.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, adapted to lyse adipose tissue.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein shifting said transducer is adapted to reduce the time averaged intensity of the focused energy delivered outside the target area tissue of the subject body.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller adapted to control the shift of said transducer.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a tracking system adapted to track the position of said transducer.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the focused energy comprises high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the focused energy comprises medium intensity focused ultrasound (MIFU).

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the focused energy comprises low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU).

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein shifting said transducer comprises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 degrees of freedom of movement.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning element comprises a robotic arm.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning element comprises a mechanical arm.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning element provides shifting of the transducer with at least one degree of freedom of movement.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning element is adapted to shift the transducer continuously at a constant rate.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning element is adapted to shift the transducer continuously at a variable rate.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning element is adapted to shift the transducer intermittently.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning element is adapted to shift the transducer randomly.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning element is further adapted to move the transducer from a first target area to a second target area.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said focused energy comprises a dynamic focused energy.

21. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said transducer comprises a phased array transducer.

22. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller adapted to control the position of said transducer and the focal point relative to transducer.

23. The apparatus according to claim 1, further adapted to provide visual and/or audible positioning indication.

24. A method for delivering focused therapeutic energy, the method comprising:

transmitting focused energy from a transducer to a target area tissue of a subject body; and

shifting the transducer while substantially maintaining a focal point of the transducer within the target area.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the focused therapeutic energy comprises ultrasonic energy.

26. The method according to claim 24, wherein the focused therapeutic energy is adapted to lyse adipose tissue.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein shifting said transducer is adapted to reduce the time averaged intensity of the focused energy delivered outside the target area tissue of the subject body.

28. The method according to claim 24, further comprising tracking the position of the transducer.

29. The method according to claim 24, wherein the focused energy comprises high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).

30. The method according to claim 24, wherein the focused energy comprises medium intensity focused ultrasound (MIFU).

31. The method according to claim 24, wherein the focused energy comprises low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU).

32. The method according to claim 24, wherein shifting said transducer comprises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 degrees of freedom of movement.

33. The method according to claim 24, further comprising automatically shifting said transducer.

34. The method according to claim 24, wherein shifting the transducer comprises using a robotic arm.

35. The method according to claim 24 comprising shifting the transducer with at least one degree of freedom of movement.

36. The method according to claim 24 comprising continuously shifting the transducer at a constant rate.

37. The method according to claim 24 comprising continuously shifting the transducer at a variable rate.

38. The method according to claim 24 comprising intermittently shifting the transducer.

39. The method according to claim 24 comprising randomly shifting the transducer.

40. The method according to claim 24 comprising providing positioning visual and/or audible indications.

41. A system for delivering focused therapeutic energy, the system comprising:

a transducer adapted to transmit focused energy to a target area tissue of a subject body;

a positioning element adapted to shift said transducer while transmitting the focused energy to the target area tissue, wherein said positioning element is further adapted to substantially maintain a focal point of said transducer within the target area tissue of the subject body; and

a motion controller adapted to control the shift of said transducer.

42. The system according to claim 41, wherein the focused therapeutic energy comprises ultrasonic energy.

43. The system according to claim 41, adapted to lyse adipose tissue.

44. The system according to claim 41, wherein shifting said transducer is adapted to reduce the time averaged intensity of the focused energy delivered outside the target area tissue of the subject body.

45. The system according to claim 41, further comprising a tracking system adapted to track the position of said transducer.

46. The system according to claim 41, wherein the focused energy comprises high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).

47. The system according to claim 41, wherein the focused energy comprises medium intensity focused ultrasound (MIFU).

48. The system according to claim 41 wherein the focused energy comprises low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU).

49. The system according to claim 41, wherein shifting said transducer comprises 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 degrees of freedom of movement.