Implantable sonic windows

• US 9,044,195 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2014
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of South Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Manwaring, Jotham Charles, Manwaring, Kim Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): ROZANSKI, MICHAEL T
• Application Number:
  US14/268,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20140330123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/438, 601/2, 601/3, 606/280
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00924 for ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0808 for diagnosis of the brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4209 by using holders, e.g. positioning frames
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4272 involving the acoustic interface between the transducer and the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5223 for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/003 Destruction of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A sonic window includes a body sized and configured to close an opening formed through the cranium, wherein at least a part of the body is made of a sonically transparent material through which ultrasonic waves can pass.

Claims

1. A diagnostic or therapeutic ultrasonic method comprising:

forming an opening through the cranium;

closing the opening with a sonic window made of a sonically translucent material through which ultrasonic waves can pass;

securing the sonic window to the cranium using a press fit or by fusing it to the cranium such that no fasteners or adhesives are used;

closing the scalp over the sonic window; and

transmitting ultrasonic waves into the brain through the sonic window.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising imaging the brain using ultrasonic waves reflected from the brain.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic waves are focused waves and further comprising ablating target tissue within the brain with the ultrasonic waves.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring tissue temperature with the ultrasonic waves.