RF power controller for ultrasound therapy system

• US 20110270366A1
• Filed: 03/09/2011
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Profound Medical Inc. (Profound Medical Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Profound Medical Inc. (Profound Medical Corp.)
• Inventors: Chopra, Rajiv, Yak, Nicolas, Asselin, Mathew, Bronskill, Michael, Mahon, Cameron
• Granted Patent: US 9,931,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/225 for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy [ESWL], e.g. by using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0095 by modifying an excitation signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/022 intracavitary

Abstract

A system and method for fluid control in a thermal therapy system is disclosed. A fluid circuit permits passage of a fluid through a fluid circuit, including into and out of a treatment zone so as to cool or heat or maintain a temperature in said treatment zone at or near a desired temperature. The desired temperature may be programmably set to a given value or within a band of values using a processor and a temperature controller. In some aspects, leakage of fluid from a patient or from the fluid control system is captured by a leak-proof member to protect imaging and treatment equipment from damage.

Claims

1. In a system for thermal therapy of diseased tissue operating through the application of a plurality of ultrasonic elements in an array, an apparatus for driving and controlling said plurality of ultrasonic elements, the apparatus comprising:

a computer-based host unit that determines a desired set of driving characteristics with which to drive said plurality of ultrasonic elements;

a microprocessor-based controller that receives an output from said host and provides at least signals representing a frequency characteristic and an amplitude characteristic;

a frequency control circuit receiving said frequency characteristic signal;

an amplitude control circuit receiving said amplitude characteristic signal;

a radio frequency (RF) amplifier receiving an output from at least one of said frequency and said amplitude control circuits, and acting on said output from said at least one of said frequency and said amplitude control circuits, to provide an amplified output signal having both frequency and amplitude characteristics corresponding to said frequency characteristic and said amplitude characteristic;

a coupling circuit that receives said amplified output signal and couples the same to a corresponding plurality of said ultrasonic elements in said array;

said coupling circuit further providing at least one forward output signal to a first RF detector circuit and at least one reverse output signal to a second RF detector circuit; and

a converter that receives an output of said at least first and second RF detector circuits and provides a corresponding converted output to said microprocessor-based controller.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said frequency control circuit further providing an output to said amplitude control circuit.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, said converter comprising an analog-to-digital converter and said converted output comprising a digital output suitable for use by said microprocessor-based controller.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, said plurality of ultrasonic elements of said array comprising a treatment component of an ultrasonic array for controllably treating prostate cancer using thermal therapy.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, said microprocessor provided with circuitry and instructions that take said reverse output signal from an element of said array and generate an output to optimize said frequency and said amplitude of a driving signal provided to said element of said array.

6. A method for ultrasound thermal therapy in a patient, comprising:

determining a desired therapeutic result of said therapy;

inserting a thermal therapy apparatus into an orifice in said patient;

positioning said thermal therapy apparatus in said patient so that an ultrasonic array of transducer elements is substantially located within a volume of diseased tissue of said patient;

determining a driving frequency and amplitude or power level with which to drive each of the transducer elements of said array;

sensing a forward driving signal delivered to each of said elements of said array;

sensing a reverse signal from each of said elements of said array;

providing said forward and said reverse signals as inputs to a microprocessor; and

generating in said microprocessor output signals to control at least a frequency with which to drive said elements of said array.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising making temperature measurements in said diseased tissue and adjusting at least said an amplitude with which to drive said elements of said array.