ACOUSTIC PALPATION USING NON-INVASIVE ULTRASOUND TECHNIQUES TO IDENTIFY AND LOCALIZE TISSUE ELICITING BIOLOGICAL RESPONSES
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for probing internal body structures and tissues of a subject comprising:
- sequentially applying intense focused ultrasound pulses having different acoustic doses to a first localized target site internally of the subject'"'"'s external body surface;
sequentially applying intense focused ultrasound pulses having different acoustic doses to additional localized target sites internally of the subject'"'"'s external body surface; and
spatially identifying any localized target site that produces a detectable biological response to an intense focused ultrasound pulse.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for identifying and spatially localizing tissues having certain physiological properties or producing certain biological responses, such as the sensation of pain, in response to the application of intense focused ultrasound (acoustic probing or palpation) are provided. In some embodiments, targeted acoustic probing may be guided or visualized using imaging techniques such as ultrasound imaging or other types of non-invasive imaging techniques.
49 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for probing internal body structures and tissues of a subject comprising:
- sequentially applying intense focused ultrasound pulses having different acoustic doses to a first localized target site internally of the subject'"'"'s external body surface;
sequentially applying intense focused ultrasound pulses having different acoustic doses to additional localized target sites internally of the subject'"'"'s external body surface; and
spatially identifying any localized target site that produces a detectable biological response to an intense focused ultrasound pulse. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- sequentially applying intense focused ultrasound pulses having different acoustic doses to a first localized target site internally of the subject'"'"'s external body surface;
-
9. A method for probing internal body structures and tissues of a subject comprising:
- sequentially applying intense focused ultrasound pulses having a first acoustic dose to a plurality of localized target sites internally of the subject'"'"'s external body surface;
sequentially applying intense focused ultrasound pulses having a second, higher acoustic doses to each of the additional localized target sites internally of the subject'"'"'s external body surface;
administering intense focused ultrasound pulses having progressively higher acoustic doses to each of the plurality of localized target sites until either a biological response is detected at the target site or a threshold acoustic dose is reached; and
spatially identifying any localized target site that produces a detectable biological response to an intense focused ultrasound pulse. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- sequentially applying intense focused ultrasound pulses having a first acoustic dose to a plurality of localized target sites internally of the subject'"'"'s external body surface;
-
15. A system for probing internal body structures and tissues from a position external to a subject'"'"'s body, comprising:
- an ultrasound transducer assembly mounted in a probe head and capable of application of intense focused ultrasound pulses to a localized target site internally of the subject'"'"'s body from a position external of the subject'"'"'s body at an acoustic dose sufficient to induce a biological response at the localized target site; and
a controller in operable communication with the ultrasound transducer assembly capable of changing the acoustic dose administered by the ultrasound transducer assembly during application of the intense focused ultrasound pulses. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- an ultrasound transducer assembly mounted in a probe head and capable of application of intense focused ultrasound pulses to a localized target site internally of the subject'"'"'s body from a position external of the subject'"'"'s body at an acoustic dose sufficient to induce a biological response at the localized target site; and
Specification