Ultrasound phased arrays
First Claim
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1. A method of treating tissue with HIFU including a transducer, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing HIFU Therapy to a first portion of the tissue, the first portion being located at a first distance from the transducer;
providing HIFU Therapy to a second portion of the tissue, the second portion being located at a second distance from the transducer, the second distance being further from the transducer than the first distance; and
maintaining a generally constant f-number with the transducer when providing HIFU Therapy to both the first portion of the tissue and the second portion of the tissue,wherein the transducer includes an active surface having a plurality of transducer elements and wherein the step of maintaining the generally constant f-number comprises the steps of;
selecting a first aperture of the active surface including a first number of the plurality of transducer elements for the provision of HIFU Therapy to the first portion of the tissue, the first number of transducer elements being configured to emit acoustic energy which will focus at the first distance from the transducer; and
selecting a second aperture of the first active surface including a second number of the plurality of transducer elements for the provision of HIFU Therapy to the second portion of the tissue, the second number of transducer elements being configured to emit acoustic energy which will focus at the second distance from the transducer, wherein a ratio of the second distance to an active extent of the second aperture is generally equal to a ratio of the first distance to an active extent of the first aperture.
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Abstract
Ultrasound transducers are disclosed which focus acoustic energy at various focal locations while minimizing focal spot degradation and the generation of unwanted on-axis or off-axis energy concentrations through using a generally constant f-number at the various focal locations.
296 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of treating tissue with HIFU including a transducer, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing HIFU Therapy to a first portion of the tissue, the first portion being located at a first distance from the transducer; providing HIFU Therapy to a second portion of the tissue, the second portion being located at a second distance from the transducer, the second distance being further from the transducer than the first distance; and maintaining a generally constant f-number with the transducer when providing HIFU Therapy to both the first portion of the tissue and the second portion of the tissue, wherein the transducer includes an active surface having a plurality of transducer elements and wherein the step of maintaining the generally constant f-number comprises the steps of; selecting a first aperture of the active surface including a first number of the plurality of transducer elements for the provision of HIFU Therapy to the first portion of the tissue, the first number of transducer elements being configured to emit acoustic energy which will focus at the first distance from the transducer; and selecting a second aperture of the first active surface including a second number of the plurality of transducer elements for the provision of HIFU Therapy to the second portion of the tissue, the second number of transducer elements being configured to emit acoustic energy which will focus at the second distance from the transducer, wherein a ratio of the second distance to an active extent of the second aperture is generally equal to a ratio of the first distance to an active extent of the first aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of conducting a HIFU treatment to a target tissue, the method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a transducer proximate to target tissue, the transducer having a variable aperture; imaging the target tissue; selecting a plurality of treatment sites within the target tissue to be treated with HIFU Therapy, a first treatment site being located a first distance from the transducer and a second treatment site being located a second distance from the transducer, the second distance being further from the transducer than the first distance; and providing HIFU Therapy to the plurality of treatment sites with the transducer, the transducer having a first aperture when providing therapy to the second treatment site, at least one of an active extent of the first aperture and an active extent of the second aperture being chosen so that a ratio of the second distance to the active extent of the second aperture is generally equal to a ratio of the first distance to the active extent of the first aperture. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A transducer for use with HIFU, the transducer, comprising:
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an active surface having a plurality of transducer elements; and a controller operably coupled to the transducer, the controller being configured to select which transducer elements emit acoustic energy and to control such emissions to focus the acoustic energy at various focal depths so that the active surface has a generally constant f-number at the various focal depths, wherein a first subset of the plurality of transducer elements are selected to define a first aperture of the active surface, the acoustic energy emitted from the first subset of the transducer elements being configured to focus at a first distance from the active surface and wherein a second subset of the transducer elements of the plurality of transducer elements are selected to define a second aperture of the active surface, the acoustic energy emitted from the second subset being configured to focus at a second distance from the active surface, the ratio of the first distance to an active extent of the first aperture being generally equal to the ratio of the second distance to an active extent of the second aperture. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification