System and method for control and monitoring of conformal thermal therapy
First Claim
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1. A method for treating a prostate, comprising:
- determining a target boundary defining a target treatment volume within the prostate;
inserting a multi-element ultrasonic thermal therapy applicator at least partially within said target treatment volume;
applying controlled driving signals to a plurality of elements of said applicator so as to controllably raise a temperature of a portion of said target treatment volume including in a region proximal to an active face of said applicator and along a direction radially emanating therefrom;
imaging said target treatment volume using an imaging modality to determine a current temperature distribution within said target treatment volume;
determining a future temperature distribution in a portion of said target treatment volume based at least on the current temperature distribution in and proximal to that portion using a thermal response model;
controlling said driving signals to the plurality of elements of the applicator based at least on the determined future temperature distribution; and
generating an alarm condition in the event that a temperature excursion is predicted to occur in said future temperature distribution according to a pre-programmed threshold for said alarm condition.
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Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for thermal therapy that takes into account predictive calculations of tissue temperature, and can be used to control the operation of a conformal thermal therapy procedure and device. In some embodiments, the tissue ablation area is part or all of a prostate gland. The method includes, in preferred embodiments, simulations and or calculations of future temperatures based on some or all of the following information: current temperatures, heat diffusion in the tissue, blood perfusion in the tissue, and planned ultrasound energy depositions. The calculated temperature maps can be used to design, control, or terminate the therapy.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for treating a prostate, comprising:
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determining a target boundary defining a target treatment volume within the prostate; inserting a multi-element ultrasonic thermal therapy applicator at least partially within said target treatment volume; applying controlled driving signals to a plurality of elements of said applicator so as to controllably raise a temperature of a portion of said target treatment volume including in a region proximal to an active face of said applicator and along a direction radially emanating therefrom; imaging said target treatment volume using an imaging modality to determine a current temperature distribution within said target treatment volume; determining a future temperature distribution in a portion of said target treatment volume based at least on the current temperature distribution in and proximal to that portion using a thermal response model; controlling said driving signals to the plurality of elements of the applicator based at least on the determined future temperature distribution; and generating an alarm condition in the event that a temperature excursion is predicted to occur in said future temperature distribution according to a pre-programmed threshold for said alarm condition.
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2. A system for treating a prostate, comprising:
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an ultrasonic thermal therapy applicator in the form of an elongated cylindrical applicator sized and shaped for insertion into a male patient'"'"'s urethra so as to be able to reach at least partially into a prostate of said patient; a controllable motor and mechanical driver assembly coupled to said applicator so as to cause the elongated cylindrical applicator to rotate about an axis thereof within the patient'"'"'s urethra; a plurality of transducer elements in said applicator, each being controllably driven by an electrical driving signal and having an active surface and capable of generating an acoustic radiation field emanating radially outwardly from its active surface into said prostate; a thermometry module receiving data from an imaging system and executing instructions in a processor to determine a current temperature distribution map within said prostate; a temperature prediction module receiving said current temperature distribution map as data, and using programmed thermal response model instructions, generating data representative of a future temperature distribution within said prostate; a controller receiving at least said future temperature distribution, comparing said future temperature distribution to an indicated reference temperature at least in some region within said prostate, and modifying the controllable electrical driving signals to said plurality of transducer elements in said applicator; and a special event module that generates an alarm condition in the event that a temperature excursion is predicted to occur in said future temperature distribution according to a pre-programmed threshold for said alarm condition. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for conformal thermal therapy of a diseased organ using a thermal therapy device, comprising:
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calculating a plurality of parameters in a treatment plan, including a target boundary, corresponding to conditions of a diseased organ and corresponding to therapeutic operating conditions of the therapy device; delivering thermal therapy to a diseased region of said diseased organ by application of a prescribed power to at least one of a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements of said therapy device; monitoring a temperature of said diseased organ using an imaging modality capable of mapping acquired images to corresponding present temperature maps within said diseased organ; executing, in a processor, programmed steps representing a thermal model, taking as input at least said present temperature maps and outputting at least a future temperature distribution predicted by said thermal model; generating control signals, at least in part based on said future temperature distribution predicted by said thermal model; and controlling operation of said therapy device at least in part based on said generated control signals; and generating an alarm condition in the event that a temperature excursion is predicted to occur in said future temperature distribution according to a pre-programmed threshold for said alarm condition. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification