MICROMANIPULATOR CONTROL ARM FOR THERAPEUTIC AND IMAGING ULTRASOUND TRANSDUCERS

• US 20110054315A1
• Filed: 08/26/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HistoSonics, Inc, Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: HistoSonics, Inc
• Inventors: Hall, Timothy L., Kusner, Michael Thomas JR., Fowlkes, J. Brian, Teofilovic, Dejan, ROBERTS, WILLIAM W., Cain, Charles A., Xu, Zhen
• Granted Patent: US 9,943,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22008 used or promoted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4218 characterised by articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/50 Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A medical imaging and therapy device is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the device is that it can image a target tissue volume and apply ultrasound energy to the target tissue volume. In some embodiments, the medical imaging and therapy device is configured controllably apply ultrasound energy into the prostate by maintaining a cavitational bubble cloud generated by an ultrasound therapy system within an image of the prostate generated by an imaging system. The medical imaging and therapy device can be used in therapeutic applications such as Histotripsy, Lithotripsy, and HIFU, for example. Methods associated with use of the medical imaging and therapy device are also covered.

Claims

1. An imaging and therapy system comprising:

a micro-manipulator system;

an ultrasound therapy system supported by the micro-manipulator system; and

an imaging system supported by the micro-manipulator system apart from the ultrasound therapy system;

the micro-manipulator system being adapted and configured to maintain a focal point of the ultrasound therapy system within a field of view of the imaging system.

2. The imaging and therapy system of claim 1 wherein the micro-manipulator is adapted and configured to position the imaging system within a rectum of a human male patient and to position the ultrasound therapy system in acoustic contact with a perineum of the patient while the imaging system is in the rectum.

3. The imaging and therapy system of claim 2 wherein the focal point of the ultrasound therapy system is approximately 0.8 cm to 4 cm from the imaging system.

4. The imaging and therapy system of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound therapy system comprises a histotripsy system.

5. The imaging and therapy system of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound therapy system comprises an ultrasound therapy transducer configured to generate cavitational microbubbles in tissue.

6. The imaging and therapy system of claim 1 wherein the ultrasound therapy system comprises an ultrasound therapy transducer configured to deliver acoustic pulses that operate at a frequency between approximately 50 KHz and 5 MHz, having a pulse intensity with a peak negative pressure of approximately 8-40 MPa, a peak positive pressure of more than 10 MPa, a pulse length shorter than 50 cycles, a duty cycle of less than 5%, and a pulse repetition frequency of less than 5 KHz.

7. The imaging and therapy system of claim 1 wherein the imaging system comprises a trans-rectal probe.

8. The imaging and therapy system of claim 1 wherein the micro-manipulator system comprises a robotic arm.

9. The imaging and therapy system of claim 8 wherein the robotic arm can move in up to six degrees of freedom.

10. The imaging and therapy system of claim 1 wherein the micro-manipulator system comprises at least four stepper motors configured to move the micro-manipulator system in up to four degrees of freedom.

11. The imaging and therapy system of claim 10 wherein one of the at least four stepper motors is configured to rotate the imaging system along a roll axis.

12. The imaging and therapy system of claim 10 wherein one of the at least four stepper motors is configured to rotate the ultrasound therapy system along a pitch axis.

13. The imaging and therapy system of claim 10 wherein one of the at least four stepper motors is configured to rotate the ultrasound therapy system along a yaw axis.

14. The imaging and therapy system of claim 10 wherein one of the at least four stepper motors is configured to advance the ultrasound therapy system along a forward/back axis.

15. The imaging and therapy system of claim 1 further comprising a control system configured to automatically control the micro-manipulator system to maintain the focal point of the ultrasound therapy system within the field of view of the imaging system.

16. A method of ablating tissue in a prostate of a patient, comprising:

supporting an imaging system and an ultrasound therapy system on micro-manipulator system;

inserting the imaging system into the patient'"'"'s rectum;

generating an image of the prostate with the imaging system; and

controllably applying ultrasound energy from the ultrasound therapy system into the prostate by maintaining a bubble cloud generated by the ultrasound therapy system within the image of the prostate generated by the imaging system.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising placing the ultrasound therapy system in acoustic contact with the patient'"'"'s perineum.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the controllably applying ultrasound energy step further comprises maintaining the bubble cloud generated by the ultrasound therapy system within approximately 0.8 cm to 4 cm of the imaging system.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the controllably applying ultrasound energy step comprises controllably applying Histotripsy therapy.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the controllably applying ultrasound energy step comprises delivering acoustic pulses that operate at a frequency between approximately 50 KHz and 5 MHz, having a pulse intensity with a peak negative pressure of approximately 8-40 MPa, a peak positive pressure of more than 10 MPa, a pulse length shorter than 50 cycles, a duty cycle of less than 5%, and a pulse repetition frequency of less than 5 KHz.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the controllably applying ultrasound energy step further comprises automatically maintaining the bubble cloud generated by the ultrasound therapy system within the image of the prostate generated by the imaging system with a control system.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising mechanically damaging tissue in the prostate.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising mechanically damaging tissue in the prostate to treat BPH.

24. The method of claim 22 further comprising mechanically damaging tissue in the prostate to treat prostate cancer.

25. The method of claim 22 further comprising rotating the imaging system to create a 3D image of the prostate.