Systems and methods for ultrasound treatment

• US 20120029353A1
• Filed: 08/02/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Slayton, Michael H., Barthe, Peter G.
• Granted Patent: US 9,149,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00898 Alarms or notifications created in response to an abnormal condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4254 using sensors mounted on the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4272 involving the acoustic interface between the transducer and the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/485 involving measuring strain or elastic properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5246 combining images from the same or different imaging techniques, e.g. color Doppler and B-mode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0013 Fracture healing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0034 Skin treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0052 using the same transducer for therapy and imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/006 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0065 Concave transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0091 with moving parts, e.g. transducers, lenses, reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0095 by modifying an excitation signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/027 with multiple foci created simultaneously
• 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 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a method for an extended field of view treatment. The method can include the steps of imaging a region; targeting a region with directed ultrasound energy; monitoring the region; moving the imaging, treatment, and monitoring region while spatially correlating to one or more prior regions via imaging and/or position sensing; continuing the extended field of view treatment; and, achieving an ultrasound induced biological effect in the extended field of view treatment region.

Claims

1. A method of ultrasound treatment, the method comprising:

imaging a treatment region;

targeting a treatment region with directed ultrasound energy;

monitoring the treatment region;

moving said treatment region while spatially correlating to one or more prior treatment regions via imaging or position sensing to create an extended field of view imaging, treatment, and monitoring region;

continuing the extended field of view treatment; and

achieving at least one ultrasound induced biological effect in the extended field of view treatment region.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising ultrasound imaging.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising directed ultrasound energy that is spherically focused, cylindrically focused, multi-focused, unfocused, or defocused to produce a therapeutic or surgical result.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising image correlation.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising position sensor data processing.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising dynamically targeting a treatment region with directed ultrasound energy based on information from an extended field of view imaging, treatment, or monitoring region.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising creating thermally or mechanically induced ultrasound bioeffects with directed ultrasound energy at or adjacent to the treatment region, including effects of heating, coagulation, ablation, cavitation, streaming, radiation force, increased perfusion, inflammation, generation of heat shock proteins, and initiation of healing cascade.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising targeting a treatment region with a non-flat surface.

9. A system for ultrasound treatment, the system comprising:

a hand-held probe comprising;

a housing containing or coupled to;

an ultrasound transducer configured to deliver directed ultrasound energy;

an ultrasound transducer configured to create ultrasound images, including monitoring images, of a treatment region and surrounding tissue;

a position sensor configured to communicate a position of the housing versus time;

a communication interface configured for wired or wireless communication; and

a controller in communication with the communication interface, configured to form and correlate images, process position data, create an extended field of view imaging, treatment, and monitoring region, and control delivery of directed ultrasound energy to the extended field of view treatment region to achieve at least one ultrasound induced biological effect.

10. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a hand held housing with a rechargeable battery.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a hand held housing with switches, and displays.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein position sensor is an optical, laser, laser Doppler, mechanical, or magnetic position sensor.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the ultrasound transducer configured to deliver directed ultrasound energy is focused, multi-focused, un-focused, or defocused array of one or more elements.

14. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a display configured to display an extended field of view image, an extended field of view treatment map, or an extended field of view monitoring image.