Non-Thermal Acoustic Tissue Modification
First Claim
1. A method for modifying tissue comprising the steps of:
- providing an acoustic beam; and
directing said acoustic beam at a target volume in a tissue-containing region ofa body for a predetermined time duration so as to modify said tissue in said target volume, said acoustic beam having a pressure at said tissue in said target volume which lies below a cavitation threshold thereat, said predetermined time duration being shorter than a time duration over which said acoustic beam produces thermal modification of said tissue in said target volume.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A methodology and system for modifying tissue including an acoustic transducer assembly (10) having a phased array (14) of piezoelectric elements (15) that directs the acoustic beam for a predetermined time duration at a multiplicity of target volumes (12), which target volumes contain tissue, thereby to modify the tissue in the target volumes while the acoustic beam has a pressure at target volume which lies below a cavitation threshold and the predetermined time duration is shorter than a time duration over which the acoustic beam produces thermal modification of tissue in the target volume, further including pressure sensors (29), a skin temperature sensor (34), and an electronic circuit (24) coupled to a control subsystem (42).
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Citations
118 Claims
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1. A method for modifying tissue comprising the steps of:
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providing an acoustic beam; and directing said acoustic beam at a target volume in a tissue-containing region of a body for a predetermined time duration so as to modify said tissue in said target volume, said acoustic beam having a pressure at said tissue in said target volume which lies below a cavitation threshold thereat, said predetermined time duration being shorter than a time duration over which said acoustic beam produces thermal modification of said tissue in said target volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for modifying tissue comprising the steps of:
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defining a region in a body at least partially by detecting spatial indications on said body; directing an acoustic beam at a multiplicity of target volumes within said region, which target volumes contain tissue, thereby to modify said tissue in said target volumes. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method for modifying tissue comprising the steps of:
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directing an acoustic beam at a multiplicity of target volumes within said region, which target volumes contain tissue, thereby to modify said tissue in said target volumes; and computerized tracking of said multiplicity of target volumes notwithstanding movement of said body. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. An apparatus for modifying tissue comprising:
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a power source and modulator operative to produce an acoustic beam capable of modifying tissue in a target volume in a tissue-containing region of a body; and an acoustic beam director, adapted to direct said acoustic beam at said target volume, said acoustic beam having a pressure at said tissue in said target volume which lies below a cavitation threshold thereat and wherein said acoustic beam is adapted to impinge on said target volume for a predetermined time duration, said predetermined time duration being shorter than a time duration over which said acoustic beam produces thermal modification of said tissue in said target volume. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111)
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112. An apparatus for modifying tissue comprising:
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a power source and modulator operative to produce an acoustic beam capable of modifying tissue in a target volume in a tissue-containing region of a body; an acoustic beam director, directing said acoustic beam at said target volume;
an acoustic conducting layer located between said acoustic beam director and a contact surface of said body;said acoustic conducting layer comprising an upper portion located adjacent said acoustic beam director and a lower portion located between said upper portion and said contact surface of said body; said upper portion comprising a fluid for enhancing cooling during operation of the power source and modulator; and said lower portion having an acoustic impedance similar to that of said contact surface.
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113. An apparatus for modifying tissue comprising:
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a power source and modulator operative to produce an acoustic beam capable of modifying tissue in a target volume in a tissue-containing region of a body;
an acoustic beam director, adapted to direct said acoustic beam at said target volume; andan acoustic coupling medium applicator, adapted to supply an acoustic coupling medium between said acoustic beam director and said body.
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114. An apparatus for modifying tissue comprising:
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a power source and modulator operative to produce an acoustic beam capable of modifying tissue in a target volume in a tissue-containing region of a body; an acoustic beam director, adapted to direct said acoustic beam at said target volume; and a plurality of sensors operative to determine the extent of acoustic coupling between said acoustic beam director and said body.
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115. An apparatus for modifying tissue comprising:
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a power source and modulator operative to produce an acoustic beam capable of modifying tissue in a target volume in a tissue-containing region of a body; an acoustic beam director, adapted to directing said acoustic beam at said target volume; and electronic circuitry associated with said acoustic beam director for storing parameters related thereto. - View Dependent Claims (116, 117, 118)
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Specification