Treatment system with localization

• US 5,409,002 A
• Filed: 02/04/1994
• Issued: 04/25/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: THS International, Inc. (Takai Hospital Supply Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Focus Surgery, Inc. (Sonacare Medical, LLC)
• Inventors: Pell, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Ruth S.
• Application Number:
  US08/192,063
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 601/2-4, 607/97, 128/653.1, 128/660.03, 128/654, 378/209, 5/600, 5/601, 5/621, 5/622, 5/624, 606/130
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2258 integrated in a central portion of the shock wave apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/464 involving a plurality of displays

Abstract

A system having improved localization and wave generation apparatus for treatment of an area in the body of a patient. The system comprises a prelocation system allowing for initial localization of an area within a body of a patient. Following the initial localization step, the patient is moved into a treatment position using a sliding table top. A high power wave generation device is provided for generating waves for treating the area. The system further provides for an ultrasonic monitoring device, coupled with the high power wave generation device, allowing for real-time localization of the area. The disclosed system utilizes, as part of the wave generation device, a piezoelectric transducer, an acoustical lens coupled with the transducer and a means for coupling the transducer to receive voltage from a high power voltage means.

Claims

1. An apparatus for treatment of a portion within a living subject comprising:

(a) a table assembly having a movable surface, said table assembly for supporting said living subject on said movable surface, said table assembly for relocating said living subject supported on said movable surface between a prelocalization position and a treatment position;

(b) an x-ray imaging apparatus for pre-locating a location of said portion within said living subject to be treated while said living subject supported on said movable surface is located at said prelocalization position, said x-ray imaging apparatus comprising a processing unit for determining said location of said portion within said living subject to be treated;

(c) a treatment wave assembly, coupled to said table assembly and to said x-ray imaging apparatus, for treating said living subject while said living subject supported on said movable surface is located at said treatment position, said treatment wave assembly including;

(i) a treatment wave subassembly for applying a treatment wave to said living subject at a focal point and for monitoring a region of said living subject proximate to said focal point in real-time with said application of said treatment wave to said living subject at said focal point, said treatment wave subassembly including;

(1) a treatment wave generation apparatus for applying said treatment wave to said living subject at said focal point, and

(2) an ultrasonic localization apparatus centrally, fixedly, and coaxially positioned within said treatment wave generation apparatus for monitoring said region of said living subject proximate to said focal point;

(ii) a positioning apparatus coupled to said treatment wave subassembly for positioning said treatment wave subassembly; and

(iii) a control apparatus, coupled to said positioning apparatus and to said processing unit of said x-ray imaging apparatus, for receiving from said processing unit said location of said portion in said living subject and for initially controlling said positioning apparatus in accordance with said location received from said processing unit;

said positioning apparatus responsive to said initial control of said control apparatus for positioning said treatment wave subassembly such that said focal point is positioned at said location of said portion in said living subject.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said treatment wave generation apparatus comprises a focused shockwave generator.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said focused shockwave generator comprises an elliptical acoustical lens, wherein said elliptical acoustical lens has a focus at said focal point.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said movable surface has a headrest and a legrest for immobilizing said living subject in relation to said movable surface while said living subject is supported on said movable surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said headrest and said legrest are angled outwardly from a surface of said movable surface in order to maintain a torso of said living subject immobile on said movable surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said treatment wave generation apparatus comprises a focused shockwave generator.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said focused shockwave generator comprises an elliptical acoustical lens, wherein said elliptical acoustical lens has a focus at said focal point.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said table assembly comprises radio-opaque markers for pre-locating said location within said living subject by said x-ray imaging apparatus while said living subject supported on said movable surface is located at said prelocalization position.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said table assembly comprises radio-opaque markers for pre-locating said location within said living subject by said x-ray imaging apparatus while said living subject supported on said movable surface is located at said prelocalization position.

10. An apparatus for treatment of a portion within a living subject comprising:

(a) a table assembly having a movable surface, said table assembly for supporting said living subject on said movable surface, said table assembly for relocating said living subject supported on said movable surface between a prelocalization position and a treatment position, said movable surface having a headrest and a legrest for immobilizing said living subject in relation to said movable surface, wherein said headrest and said legrest are angled outwardly from a surface of said movable surface in order to maintain a torso of said living subject immobile on said movable surface while said living subject is supported on said movable surface;

(b) an x-ray imaging apparatus for pre-locating a location of said portion within said living subject to be treated while said living subject supported on said movable surface is located at said prelocalization position, said x-ray imaging apparatus comprising a processing unit for determining said location of said portion within said living subject to be treated, said table assembly comprising radio-opaque markers for pre-locating said location within said living subject by said x-ray imaging apparatus while said living subject supported on said movable surface is located at said prelocalization position;

(c) a treatment wave assembly, coupled to said table assembly and to said x-ray imaging apparatus, for treating said living subject while said living subject supported on said movable surface is located at said treatment position, said treatment wave assembly including;

(i) a treatment wave subassembly for applying a treatment wave to said living subject at a focal point and for monitoring a region of said living subject proximate to said focal point in real-time with said application of said treatment wave to said living subject at said focal point, said treatment wave subassembly including;

(1) a treatment wave generation apparatus for applying said treatment wave to said living subject at said focal point, said treatment wave generation apparatus comprising a focused shockwave generator having an elliptical acoustical lens, wherein said elliptical acoustical lens has a focus at said focal point, and

(2) an ultrasonic localization apparatus centrally, fixedly, and coaxially positioned within said treatment wave generation apparatus for monitoring said region of said living subject proximate to said focal point;

(ii) a positioning apparatus coupled to said treatment wave subassembly for positioning said treatment wave subassembly; and

(iii) a control apparatus, coupled to said positioning apparatus and to said processing unit of said x-ray imaging apparatus, for receiving from said processing unit said location of said portion in said living subject and for initially controlling said positioning apparatus in accordance with said location received from said processing unit;

said positioning apparatus responsive to said initial control of said control apparatus for positioning said treatment wave subassembly such that said focal point is positioned at said location of said portion in said living subject.