System and method for ultra-high frequency ultrasound treatment

• US 9,700,340 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2013
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Original Assignee: Guided Therapy Systems Llc
• Inventors: Barthe, Peter G., Slayton, Michael H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luong, Peter
• Application Number:
  US13/914,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20130274603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 601 2- 4, 600407, 600437, 600439
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320069 for ablating tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0245 with ultrasonic transducers, e.g. piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0034 Skin treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0052 using the same transducer for therapy and imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A non-invasive ultra-high frequency ultrasound treatment method and system are provided. An exemplary method and system comprise a high-frequency ultrasound transducer system configured for providing ultrasound treatment to a patient such that the superficial and/or subcutaneous regions of the patient can be treated. An exemplary high-frequency ultrasound transducer system comprises a control system and a transducer configured to provide treatment to the superficial and/or subcutaneous regions of interest. The high-frequency ultrasound transducer may be configured to operate at higher frequencies and controlled power levels to provide treatment to the superficial and/or subcutaneous regions of interest. For example, higher frequencies within the range from approximately 20 MHz to 500 MHz or more may be utilized.

Claims

1. A method for providing treatment to a patient, the method comprising:

coupling an ultrasound transducer to a skin surface of a patient;

emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer in a frequency range from about 10 MHz to about 30 MHz or in a frequency range from about 20 MHz to about 500 MHz into a superficial region of interest below the skin surface of the patient, the superficial region of interest consisting of a subcutaneous layer of skin, thereby ablating tissue in a portion of the region of interest, thereby creating a lesion in the tissue at a depth of a range of 0.1 μ

m to 100 μ

m below the skin surface; and

sparing tissue at the depth of greater than 100 μ

m below the skin surface from damage from the ablating tissue.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subcutaneous layer of skin comprises an epidermis layer.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

imaging at least a portion of the superficial region of interest;

and

displaying the at least a portion of the superficial region of interest.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer is in a power range of 80 W/cm² to 100 W/cm².

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer is in a power range of 15 W/cm² to 500 W/cm².

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer is in a power range of about 500 W/cm² at a depth of about 0.1 μ

m below the skin surface.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer is in a power range of about 15 W/cm² at a depth of about 100 μ

m below the skin surface.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer is in a frequency range from about 20 MHz to about 500 MHz.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer is in a frequency range from about 10 MHz to about 30 MHz.

10. A method for treating a melanoma in a region of interest in a patient'"'"'s skin, the method comprising:

coupling an ultrasound transducer to a skin surface of the patient;

emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer within a frequency range from about 10 MHz to about 30 MHz into the region of interest, the region of interest comprising superficial tissue at a depth in a range of 0.1 μ

m to 100 μ

m below the skin surface, thereby ablating superficial tissue in a portion of the region of interest, thereby creating a lesion in the superficial tissue, thereby treating the melanoma in the region of interest; and

leaving tissue below the region of interest unaffected.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising

imaging at least a portion of the melanoma in the region of interest;

and

displaying an image of the portion of the melanoma.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer is in a power range of 80 W/cm² to 100 W/cm².

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer is in a power range of 15 W/cm² to 500 W/cm².

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer is in a power range of about 500 W/cm² at a depth of about 0.1 μ

m below the skin surface.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the emitting energy from the ultrasound transducer is in a power range of about 15 W/cm² at a depth of about 100 μ

m below the skin surface.

16. A method for providing ultrasound treatment to a patient, the method comprising:

operating a transducer to emit acoustical energy within a frequency range from about 10 MHz to about 30 MHz or from about 20 MHz to about 500 MHz;

coupling the transducer to a region of interest consisting of a superficial region and a subcutaneous region;

focusing a first acoustical energy to a first depth in the region of interest, thereby ablating a portion of superficial tissue in the superficial region, thereby creating a first lesion in the superficial tissue;

focusing a second acoustical energy to a second depth in the region of interest, thereby ablating a portion of subcutaneous tissue in the subcutaneous region, thereby creating a second lesion in the subcutaneous tissue; and

leaving tissue below the region of interest unaffected.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the superficial region is at a depth in a range of 0.1 μ

m to 100 μ

m below a skin surface and the subcutaneous region is at a depth in a range of 100 μ

m to 3 mm below the skin surface.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first acoustical energy and the second acoustical energy is within the frequency range from about 10 MHz to about 30 MHz.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first acoustical energy and the second acoustical energy is in a power range of 15 W/cm² to 500 W/cm².

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising treating a melanoma in at least a portion of the region of interest.