Ultrasonic treatment and imaging of adipose tissue

• US 20040039312A1
• Filed: 02/20/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medicis Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: LipoSonix, Inc. (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Hillstead, Richard A., Cribbs, Robert, Hennige, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 7,258,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22008 used or promoted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0858 involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4494 characterised by the arrangement of the transducer elements devices for short-range imaging using particular transducer elements arrangements under G01S15/8909; arrangements of transducers in generation of mechanical vibrations of infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic frequency B06B1/0607
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0056 Beam shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0065 Concave transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0073 using multiple frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0078 with multiple treatment transducers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0095 by modifying an excitation signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/027 with multiple foci created simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A system for the destruction of adipose tissue utilizing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) within a patient'"'"'s body. The system comprises a controller for data storage and the operation and control of a plurality of elements. One elements is a means for mapping a human body to establish three dimensional coordinate position data for existing adipose tissue. The controller is able to identify the plurality of adipose tissue locations on said human body and establish a protocol for the destruction of the adipose tissue. A HIFU transducer assembly having one or more piezoelectric element(s) is used along with at least one sensor wherein the sensor provides feed back information to the controller for the safe operation of the piezoelectric element(s). The sensor is electronically coupled to the controller, and the controller provides essential treatment command information to one or more piezoelectric element(s) based on positioning information obtained from the three dimensional coordinate position data.

Claims

1. A high intensity focused ultrasound transducer comprising:

a boiling sensor;

a cavitation sensor; and

a plurality of transducer elements coupled to the boiling and cavitation sensors.

2. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein an amount of energy emitted by each of the plurality of transducer elements is controlled by measurements taken by the cavitation and boiling sensors.

3. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, further comprising an optical sensor, wherein at least one of a position, speed, and rotation of each of the plurality of transducer elements is determined using the optical sensor.

4. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 3, wherein the optical sensor is responsive to an orthogonal bar-code grid including pseudo-random sequences printed on a body of a patient.

5. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, further comprising a ball and socket sensor, wherein at least one of a position, speed, and rotation of each of the plurality of transducer elements is determined using the ball and socket sensor.

6. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, further comprising an optical sensor, wherein information regarding a treatment energy to be applied by each of the plurality of transducer elements is determined using the optical sensor.

7. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of LEDs coupled to the transducer element for indicating a coverage of the transducer over a region to receive ultrasonic energy from the transducer.

8. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of LEDs are responsive to a dye applied to a patients body.

9. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, further comprising an ultrasonic sensor, wherein the position of each of the plurality of transducer elements is determined using the ultrasonic sensor.

10. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, further comprising an ultrasonic sensor, wherein information regarding a treatment energy to be applied by each of the plurality of transducer elements is determined using the ultrasonic sensor.

11. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein each of the transducer elements comprises:

a piezoelectric element; and

a Fresnel type lens coupled to the piezoelectric element, wherein the Fresnel type lens comprises at least two materials.

12. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein the transducer comprises solid plastic material for separating the transducer from organic tissue.

13. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein each of the transducer elements comprises a mechanical modulator for producing a plurality of energy beams.

14. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein each of the transducer elements comprises a monocrystalline piezoelectric ceramic element.

15. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein;

each of the transducer elements is capable of producing multiple beams; and

each of the transducer elements are independently operable from one another.

16. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein the transducer is capable of simultaneously emitting two beams of different frequencies to a single spot.

17. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of transducer elements are arranged in a pattern to produce staggered beam paths.

18. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, further comprising an A-trace sensor for measuring fat thickness.

19. The high intensity focused ultrasound transducer according to claim 1, wherein a location of the transducer is determined according to a virtual grid containing data of a patients body stored in a computer.

20. A high intensity focused ultrasound transducer assembly comprising:

one or more transducer elements; and

a plurality of motion and tissue sensors, wherein the high intensity focused ultrasound transducer is capable of being manipulated by hand.

21. A passive imaging device comprising:

a plurality of sensors adapted to detect sound created by cavitation or boiling of organic tissue; and

a display device adapted to display images corresponding to the sound detected by the plurality of sensors.

22. A method of applying ultrasonic energy to organic tissue, comprising:

emitting ultrasonic energy from a transducer into organic tissue in a sequence of on/off cycles, such that heat produced during the emitting is not conducted away from the transducer between consecutive on cycles in the sequence of on/off cycles.

23. The method of applying ultrasonic energy according to claim 22, wherein the transducer is operated at peak power while maintaining an average power.

24. The method of applying ultrasonic energy according to claim 22, wherein the transducer is cooled via air cooling.

25. A method of identifying fat tissue to be removed from a patient, comprising:

imaging a patient with a linear array of optical cameras and ultrasonic imaging system to mark contours of constant fat thickness;

creating a skin fingerprint by printing an image from the step of imaging; and

identifying individual fat thicknesses with different colors of ink.

26. A system for the destruction of adipose tissue utilizing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) within a patient'"'"'s body, the system comprising:

a controller for the electronic storage of data and for controlling a plurality of system components;

a means for mapping a human body to establish three dimensional coordinate position data for existing adipose tissue within said human, wherein said controller is able to identify a plurality of adipose tissue locations on said human body and establish a protocol for adipose tissue destruction;

a transducer assembly having one or more piezoelectric element(s) for emitting high intensity focused ultrasound, and at least one sensor wherein said sensor provides feed back information to said controller for the safe operation of the one or more piezoelectric element(s);

wherein said at least one sensor is electronically coupled to said controller, and said controller provides essential treatment command information to said one or more piezoelectric element(s) based on positioning information obtained from said three dimensional coordinate position data.

27. The system as described in claim 26 further comprising a treatment table having a plurality of fixed identifiable locations present within the table surface such that said mapping component can identify the relative position of a human body on said table through the use of said fixed identifiable locations.

28. The system as described in claim 27 wherein said fixed identifiable locations are a plurality of electronic or magnetic position markers.

29. The system as described in claim 26 further comprising a gantry having a three dimensional movement range over said patient'"'"'s body, such that one or more of said system components are operable utilizing said gantry.

30. The system as described in claim 26, wherein said transducer assembly further comprises:

a boiling sensor;

a cavitation sensor; and

one or more piezoelectric element(s) coupled to the boiling and cavitation sensors.

31. The system as described in claim 26, wherein an amount of energy emitted by each of the piezoelectric element(s) is controlled by measurements taken by the cavitation and boiling sensors.

32. The system as described in claim 26, further comprising an optical sensor, wherein at least one of a position, speed, and rotation of the one or more piezoelectric element(s) is determined using the optical sensor.

33. The system as described in claim 32, wherein the optical sensor is responsive to an orthogonal bar-code grid including pseudo-random sequences printed on a body of a patient.

34. The system as described in claim 26, further comprising a ball and socket sensor, wherein at least one of a position, speed, and rotation of the one or more piezoelectric element(s) is determined using the ball and socket sensor.

35. The system as described in claim 26, further comprising an optical sensor, wherein information regarding a treatment energy to be applied by each of the one or more piezoelectric element(s) is determined using the optical sensor.

36. The system as described in claim 35, further comprising a plurality of LEDs coupled to the transducer assembly for indicating a coverage of the transducer assembly over a region to receive ultrasonic energy from the one or more piezoelectric element(s).

37. The system as described in claim 36, wherein the plurality of LEDs are responsive to a dye applied to said patient'"'"'s body.

38. The system as described in claim 26, further comprising an ultrasonic sensor, wherein the position of each of the one or more piezoelectric element(s) is determined using the ultrasonic sensor.

39. The system as described in claim 26, further comprising an imaging ultrasonic sensor, wherein information regarding a treatment energy to be applied by each of the one or more piezoelectric element(s) is determined using the imaging ultrasonic sensor.

40. The system as described in claim 26, wherein each of the one or more piezoelectric element(s) comprises a Fresnel type lens coupled to said piezoelectric element(s), wherein the Fresnel type lens comprises at least two materials.

41. The system as described in claim 26, wherein each of the one or more piezoelectric element(s) comprises a mechanical modulator for producing a plurality of energy beams.

42. The system as described in claim 26, wherein;

each of the one or more piezoelectric element(s) is capable of producing multiple beams; and

each of the one or more piezoelectric element(s) are independently operable from one another.

43. The system as described in claim 26, wherein the transducer assembly is capable of simultaneously emitting two or more HIFU beams of different frequencies to a single spot.

44. The system as described in claim 26, wherein said one or more piezoelectric element(s) are arranged in a pattern to produce staggered beam paths.

45. The system as described in claim 26, further comprising an A-trace sensor for measuring fat thickness.

46. The system as described in claim 26, wherein a location of the transducer assembly is determined according to a virtual grid containing data of a patient'"'"'s body stored in a computer.