THERAPEUTIC APPARATUS FOR HEATING A SUBJECT
First Claim
1. A therapeutic apparatus comprising:
- a high intensity focused ultrasound system for heating a target zone of a subject;
a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquiring magnetic resonance data;
a processor for controlling the therapeutic apparatus;
a memory containing machine executable instructions for execution by the processor, wherein execution of the instructions cause the processor to generate heating commands which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to sonicate the subject in accordance with heating trajectories;
wherein execution of the instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly;
acquire the magnetic resonance data during execution of the heating commands;
calculate a spatially dependent parameter from the magnetic resonance data; and
modify the heating commands in accordance with the spatially dependent parameter such that within the target zone the spatially dependent parameter remains below a first predetermined threshold and above a second predetermined threshold andwherein execution of the instructions further cause the processor to generate waiting commands which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to halt sonication for a predetermined period of time after executing the heating commands;
wherein execution of the instructions further cause the processor to generate maintaining commands which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to sonicate the subject in accordance with maintaining trajectories, wherein execution of the instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly;
acquire the magnetic resonance data during execution of the maintaining commands;
calculate the spatially dependent parameter from the magnetic resonance data acquired during execution of the maintaining commands; and
modify the maintaining commands in accordance with the spatially dependent parameter such that within the target zone the spatially dependent parameter remains below the first predetermined threshold and above the second predetermined thresholdwherein execution of the instructions cause the processor to allow the spatially dependent parameter to exceed the first predetermined threshold in the target zone if the sonication duration is less than a predetermined minimum sonication duration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A therapeutic apparatus (900, 1000) comprising a high intensity focused ultrasound system (904) for heating a target zone (940, 1022). The therapeutic apparatus further comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system (902). The therapeutic apparatus further comprises a memory (952) containing machine executable instructions (980, 982, 984, 986, 988, 990) for execution by a processor (944). Execution of the instructions cause the processor to: generate (702, 802) heating commands (964) which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to sonicate the subject; repeatedly acquire (704, 804) magnetic resonance data (954) during execution of the heating commands; repeatedly calculate (706, 806) a spatially dependent parameter (970); and repeatedly modify (708, 808) the heating commands in accordance with the spatially dependent parameter such that within the target zone the spatially dependent parameter remains below a first predetermined threshold and above a second predetermined threshold.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A therapeutic apparatus comprising:
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a high intensity focused ultrasound system for heating a target zone of a subject; a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquiring magnetic resonance data; a processor for controlling the therapeutic apparatus; a memory containing machine executable instructions for execution by the processor, wherein execution of the instructions cause the processor to generate heating commands which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to sonicate the subject in accordance with heating trajectories;
wherein execution of the instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly;acquire the magnetic resonance data during execution of the heating commands; calculate a spatially dependent parameter from the magnetic resonance data; and modify the heating commands in accordance with the spatially dependent parameter such that within the target zone the spatially dependent parameter remains below a first predetermined threshold and above a second predetermined threshold and wherein execution of the instructions further cause the processor to generate waiting commands which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to halt sonication for a predetermined period of time after executing the heating commands;
wherein execution of the instructions further cause the processor to generate maintaining commands which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to sonicate the subject in accordance with maintaining trajectories, wherein execution of the instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly;acquire the magnetic resonance data during execution of the maintaining commands; calculate the spatially dependent parameter from the magnetic resonance data acquired during execution of the maintaining commands; and modify the maintaining commands in accordance with the spatially dependent parameter such that within the target zone the spatially dependent parameter remains below the first predetermined threshold and above the second predetermined threshold wherein execution of the instructions cause the processor to allow the spatially dependent parameter to exceed the first predetermined threshold in the target zone if the sonication duration is less than a predetermined minimum sonication duration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15)
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4. (canceled)
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12. A computer program product comprising machine executable instructions for execution by a processor controlling a therapeutic apparatus, wherein the therapeutic apparatus comprises a high intensity focused ultrasound system for heating a target zone of a subject, wherein the therapeutic apparatus further comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquiring magnetic resonance data, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to generate heating commands which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to sonicate the subject in accordance with heating trajectories, wherein execution of the instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly:
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acquire the magnetic resonance data during execution of the heating commands; calculate a spatially dependent parameter from the magnetic resonance data; and modify the heating commands in accordance with the spatially dependent parameter such that within the target zone the spatially dependent parameter remains below a first predetermined threshold and above a second predetermined threshold, and allow the spatially dependent parameter to exceed the first predetermined threshold in the target zone if the sonication duration is less than a predetermined minimum sonication duration.
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13. A method of operating a therapeutic apparatus, wherein the therapeutic apparatus comprises a high intensity focused ultrasound system for heating a target zone of a subject, wherein the therapeutic apparatus further comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquiring magnetic resonance data, wherein the method comprises the steps of generating heating commands which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to sonicate the subject in accordance with heating trajectories, wherein the method comprises the steps of repeatedly:
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acquiring the magnetic resonance data during execution of the heating commands; calculating a spatially dependent parameter from the magnetic resonance data; and modifying the heating commands in accordance with the spatially dependent parameter such that within the target zone the spatially dependent parameter remains below a first predetermined threshold and above a second predetermined threshold and generating waiting commands which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to halt sonication for a predetermined period of time after executing the heating commands;
further to generate maintaining commands which cause the high intensity focused ultrasound system to sonicate the subject in accordance with maintaining trajectories, and to repeatedly;acquiring the magnetic resonance data during execution of the maintaining commands; calculating the spatially dependent parameter from the magnetic resonance data acquired during execution of the maintaining commands; and modifying the maintaining commands in accordance with the spatially dependent parameter such that within the target zone the spatially dependent parameter remains below the first predetermined threshold and above the second predetermined threshold, allowing the spatially dependent parameter to exceed the first predetermined threshold in the target zone if the sonication duration is less than a predetermined minimum sonication duration.
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14. (canceled)
Specification