Systems, methods, and computer readable media for high frequency contrast imaging and image-guided therapeutics
First Claim
1. A method for high-frequency contrast imaging and image-guided therapeutics, the method comprising:
- generating and directing ultrasound energy with a transmitter of a first frequency bandwidth toward the volume to be imaged, the volume containing a carrier having non-linear acoustical properties, wherein the ultrasound energy of the first frequency bandwidth causes the carrier to generate ultrasound energy of a second frequency bandwidth that is different from the first frequency bandwidth, wherein the transmitter comprises a first physical component of a multi-frequency ultrasound transducer that is structured to transmit the ultrasound energy of the first frequency bandwidth and wherein the first frequency bandwidth has a center frequency in a range between 0.8 MHz and 10 MHz;
detecting, from the volume to be imaged, the ultrasound energy with a receiver of a second frequency bandwidth, wherein the receiver comprises a second physical component of the multi-frequency ultrasound transducer structured to detect ultrasound energy at frequencies greater than 20 MHz wherein the first frequency bandwidth generated by the transmitter is lower than the second frequency bandwidth detected by the receiver and wherein the first and second physical components of the multi-frequency transducer are structured so that the −
12 dB bandwidths of the transmitter and the receiver do not overlap with each other; and
using the detected ultrasound energy of the second frequency bandwidth to generate an image of the volume to be imaged,wherein components of the second frequency bandwidth that are detected and used to generate the image are greater than 20 MHz.
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Abstract
Systems, methods, and computer readable media for high-frequency contrast imaging and image-guided therapeutics are disclosed. According to one aspect a method for high frequency contrast imaging and image-guided therapeutics includes: providing ultrasound of a first frequency bandwidth, directed toward the volume to be imaged, the volume containing a carrier having non-linear acoustical properties, wherein the ultrasound of the first frequency bandwidth causes the carrier to generate ultrasound of a second frequency bandwidth that is different from the first frequency bandwidth; receiving, from the volume to be imaged, ultrasound of the second frequency bandwidth; and using the received ultrasound of the second frequency bandwidth to generate an image of the volume to be imaged, wherein the components of the second frequency bandwidth that are detected are of a frequency greater than 20 MHz. According to another aspect, ultrasound at a first frequency bandwidth enables imaging of a target, and ultrasound at a second frequency bandwidth mediates drug or gene delivery to a portion of the target, as guided by the image provided by the first frequency.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for high-frequency contrast imaging and image-guided therapeutics, the method comprising:
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generating and directing ultrasound energy with a transmitter of a first frequency bandwidth toward the volume to be imaged, the volume containing a carrier having non-linear acoustical properties, wherein the ultrasound energy of the first frequency bandwidth causes the carrier to generate ultrasound energy of a second frequency bandwidth that is different from the first frequency bandwidth, wherein the transmitter comprises a first physical component of a multi-frequency ultrasound transducer that is structured to transmit the ultrasound energy of the first frequency bandwidth and wherein the first frequency bandwidth has a center frequency in a range between 0.8 MHz and 10 MHz; detecting, from the volume to be imaged, the ultrasound energy with a receiver of a second frequency bandwidth, wherein the receiver comprises a second physical component of the multi-frequency ultrasound transducer structured to detect ultrasound energy at frequencies greater than 20 MHz wherein the first frequency bandwidth generated by the transmitter is lower than the second frequency bandwidth detected by the receiver and wherein the first and second physical components of the multi-frequency transducer are structured so that the −
12 dB bandwidths of the transmitter and the receiver do not overlap with each other; andusing the detected ultrasound energy of the second frequency bandwidth to generate an image of the volume to be imaged, wherein components of the second frequency bandwidth that are detected and used to generate the image are greater than 20 MHz. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for high-frequency contrast imaging and image-guided therapeutics, the system comprising:
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a multi-frequency ultrasound transducer including a transmitter comprising a first physical component structured to generate and transmit ultrasound energy at a first frequency bandwidth has a center frequency in a range between 0.8 MHz and 10 MHz and a receiver comprising a second physical component structured to detect ultrasound at a second frequency bandwidth different from the first frequency bandwidth, the second frequency bandwidth comprising frequencies greater than 20 MHz wherein the first frequency bandwidth generated by the transmitter is lower than the second frequency bandwidth detected by the receiver and wherein first and second physical components are structured such that −
12 dB bandwidths of the transmitter and the receiver do not overlap with each other; anda control module for controlling the transmitter of the ultrasound transducer to generate and direct the ultrasound energy of the first frequency bandwidth, toward a volume to be imaged, the volume containing a carrier having non-linear acoustical properties, for causing the carrier to generate the ultrasound energy of the second frequency bandwidth, and for controlling the receiver of the ultrasound to detect, from the volume to be imaged, the ultrasound energy of the second frequency bandwidth; and
for using the detected ultrasound energy of the second frequency bandwidth to generate an image of the volume to be imaged,wherein components of the second frequency bandwidth that are detected and used to generate the image are greater than 20 MHz. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor of a computer control the computer to perform steps comprising:
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generating and directing ultrasound energy with a transmitter of a first frequency bandwidth toward the volume to be imaged, the volume containing a carrier having non-linear acoustical properties, wherein the ultrasound energy of the first frequency bandwidth causes the carrier to generate ultrasound energy of a second frequency bandwidth that is different from the first frequency bandwidth, wherein the transmitter comprises a first physical component of a multi-frequency ultrasound transducer that is structured to transmit the ultrasound energy of the first frequency bandwidth and wherein the first frequency bandwidth has a center frequency in a range between 0.8 and 10 MHz; detecting, from the volume to be imaged, the ultrasound energy with a receiver of a second frequency bandwidth, wherein the receiver comprises a second physical component of the multi-frequency ultrasound transducer structured to detect ultrasound energy at frequencies greater than 20 MHz wherein the first frequency bandwidth generated by the transmitter is lower than the second frequency bandwidth detected by the receiver and wherein the first and second physical components of the multi-frequency transducer are structured so that the −
12 dB bandwidths of the transmitter and the receiver do not overlap with each other; andusing the detected ultrasound energy of the second frequency bandwidth to generate an image of the volume to be imaged, wherein components of the second frequency bandwidth that are detected and used to generate the image are greater than 20 MHz.
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Specification