Use of A-mode echography for monitoring the position of a patient during ultrasound therapy
First Claim
1. A method of monitoring a position of a patient during a therapy session, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an A-mode echography device having an A-mode echography transducer;
activating the A-mode echography transducer to determine a distance between the A-mode transducer and a target structure of the patient to be monitored, the target structure having a predetermined relationship to an organ of the patient to be treated;
providing a therapy transducer, the therapy transducer operatively coupled to the A-mode echography transducer; and
determining whether the therapy transducer is within a predetermined distance relative to the organ of the patient by monitoring the distance between the A-mode transducer and the target structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An A-mode ultrasound echography method is employed for monitoring the position of a patient during hyperthermia treatment. A therapy apparatus includes a therapy device having at least one ultrasound therapy transducer and at least one monitoring ultrasound transducer, where the ultrasound monitoring transducer is linked to an electronic circuit for processing A-mode signals and is part of an A-mode echography device. The therapy apparatus further includes a device for causing the ultrasound transducer operating in A-mode to transmit a brief signal and to receive the echo of the brief signal. A comparing device compares the echo received with a reference echo, and transmits the result of the comparison to a control device.
135 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of monitoring a position of a patient during a therapy session, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an A-mode echography device having an A-mode echography transducer; activating the A-mode echography transducer to determine a distance between the A-mode transducer and a target structure of the patient to be monitored, the target structure having a predetermined relationship to an organ of the patient to be treated; providing a therapy transducer, the therapy transducer operatively coupled to the A-mode echography transducer; and determining whether the therapy transducer is within a predetermined distance relative to the organ of the patient by monitoring the distance between the A-mode transducer and the target structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for monitoring and treating an organ of a patient during a therapy session, the treatment of the organ provided by a therapy device having a therapy transducer, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing an ultrasound monitoring transducer operating in A-mode, the monitoring transducer acoustically coupled to a target structure, the target structure having a predetermined relationship to the organ to be monitored; b) exciting the ultrasound monitoring transducer with a signal in the form of a pulse, the pulse applied during a time interval between the application of therapy by the therapy transducer; c) receiving echoes of the signal produced by the monitoring transducer; d) transforming the received echoes into an electrical signal; e) locating, in the electrical signal corresponding to the received echoes, the position of the target structure to determine a measured distance from the monitoring transducer to the target structure, the target structure defining a highly echogenic interface relative to the organ to be monitored and treated; f) comparing the distance measured between the monitoring transducer and the target structure with a reference distance, the reference distance corresponding to the distance between the highly echogenic interface in contact with a wall of a balloon means corresponding to the ultrasound therapy transducer; and g) transmitting a control signal to a control device operative to selectively control the position of the therapy transducer in response to the change in distance between the monitoring transducer and the target structure relative to the reference distance. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. The method for monitoring and treating an organ of a patient during a therapy session, the treatment of the organ provided by a therapy device having a therapy transducer, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing an ultrasound monitoring transducer operating in A-mode, the monitoring transducer acoustically coupled to a target structure, the target structure having a predetermined relationship to the organ to be monitored; b) exciting the ultrasound monitoring transducer with a signal in the form of a pulse, the pulse applied during a time interval between application of therapy by the therapy transducer; c) receiving echos of the signal produced by the monitoring transducer; d) transforming the receive echoes into an electrical signal; e) locating, in the electrical signal corresponding to the receive echoes, the position of the target structure to determine a measured distance from the monitoring transducer to the target structure, the target structure defining a highly echogenic interface relative to the organ to be monitored; f) comparing the distance measured between the monitoring transducer and the target structure, with a reference distance; and g) transmitting a control signal to a control device operative to selectively control the position of the therapy transducer in response to change in distance between the monitoring transducer and the target structure relative to the reference distance. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A therapy apparatus for treating an organ of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
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at least one ultrasound therapy transducer and at least one ultrasound monitoring transducer, the monitoring transducer operating in A-mode; the ultrasound monitoring transducer operatively coupled to an electronic circuit for processing A-mode signals produced by the ultrasound monitoring transducer; means for coupling the ultrasound monitoring transducer to transmit a pulse signal, the pulse signal causing an echo to be received by the ultrasound monitoring transducer, the echo caused by a reflection of the pulse signal from a target structure, the target structure defining an echogenic interface having a predetermined relationship relative to the organ to be monitored; means for comparing the echo received with a reference echo and transmitting the result of the comparison to a control device; and the control device coupled to the means for comparing and coupled to the ultrasound therapy transducer, the control device receiving the result of the comparison and controlling the ultrasound therapy transducer in response thereto. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for monitoring and treating an organ of a patient during a therapy session, the treatment of the organ provided by a therapy device having a therapy transducer, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing an ultrasound monitoring transducer operating in A-mode, the monitoring transducer acoustically coupled to a target structure, the target structure having a predetermined relationship to the organ to be monitored; b) exciting the ultrasound monitoring transducer with a signal in the form of a pulse, the pulse applied during a time interval between the application of therapy by the therapy transducer; c) receiving echoes of the signal produced by the monitoring transducer; d) transforming the received echoes into an electrical signal; e) locating, in the electrical signal corresponding to the received echoes, the position of the target structure to determine a measured distance from the monitoring transducer to the target structure, the target structure defining a highly echogenic interface relative to the organ to be monitored and treated; and f) comparing the distance measured between the monitoring transducer and the target structure with a reference distance, the reference distance corresponding to the distance between the highly echogenic interface in contact with a wall of a balloon means corresponding to the ultrasound therapy transducer.
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Specification