133 results about "Focus ultrasound" patented technology

Device and methods for the treatment of wounds using ultrasound energy are disclosed. The portable wound treatment device may deliver ultrasound energy to a wound through direct contact with the ultrasound tip and / or through a liquid coupling medium. Several ultrasound tips specially designed to concentrate and focus ultrasound energy onto a wound are also disclosed. The ultrasound tip may also possess an abrasive peripheral boundary to aid in debriding the wound and / or removing necrotic tissue. The disclosed invention may have multiple beneficial effects in treating a wound such as sterilizing a wound, reducing external bleeding, and / or providing pain relief.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for applying acoustic energy to the skin whereby the wavefront can be controlled to confine the focused energy to a desired subsurface region. Acoustic waveguides are disclosed which compensate for distortions that otherwise occur when a focused acoustic beam crosses a boundary, such as the transition from a treatment device to a target region of skin. The invention is especially useful with devices that focus ultrasound energy by condensing a propagating wavefront. The invention compensates for the mismatch in acoustic properties of the device's waveguide and the biological tissue that typically cause portions of the collapsing wavefront to lag behind other portions and, thereby, limit the focusing capabilities of acoustic treatment devices.

Method and medical devices for generating and stabilizing micro- or nano-bubbles, and systems and methods for therapeutic applications using the bubbles, are provided. The micro-bubbles may be used to enhance therapeutic benefits such as ultrasound-guided precision drug delivery and real-time verification, acoustic activation of large tumour masses, enhanced acoustic activation through longer retention of therapeutic agents at the point of interest, enhancement of high intensity focused ultrasound treatments, light activation of photodynamic drugs at a depth within a patient using extracorporeal light sources, probes, or sonoluminescence, and initiation of time reversal acoustics focused ultrasound to permit highly localized treatment.

A method and apparatus are provided for dermatological treatment by focusing ultrasound energy in a volume of tissue below the dermis to obtain selective heating and thermal damage of certain portions of the volume while sparing other portions of the treatment volume from thermal damage. Selective heating of fibrous septae can be achieved while relatively sparing surrounding fatty tissue, which can lead to some shrinkage of the fibrous septae and reduction in the appearance of wrinkles. The matrix of hair follicles can also be selectively heated to provide relatively safe temporary or permanent hair removal. The superficial musculoaponeurotic system can also be selectively heated to obtain a tightening of the overlying skin.

System and method for non-invasive lysis of sub-dermal tissue by means of focused ultrasonic energy, the system comprising: a source of ultrasonic energy adapted to operate in continuous wave mode and to focus ultrasonic energy in a focal zone within the sub-dermal tissue, the ultrasonic energy being adapted to induce tissue cavitation in the focal zone; means for continuous displacement of the source over the skin surface; and means for determining a safe speed for the displacement, the safe speed allowing to avoid thermal tissue damage. The source of ultrasonic energy is accommodated in a hand-held applicator including a wheeled traction system powered by an electric drive.

An imaging method for observing the propagation of a shear wave simultaneously at a multitude of points in a diffusing viscoelastic medium. The shear wave is caused to be generated by firing at least one focused ultrasound compression wave into the viscoelastic medium by means of an array of transducers, and then emitting at a fast rate and using the same array of transducers, unfocused ultrasound compression waves serving to obtain a succession of images of the medium, and processing the images obtained in this way in deferred time in order to determine the movements of the medium during the propagation of the shear wave.

Embodiments of a dermatological cosmetic treatment and imaging system and method can include use of transducer to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously produce multiple cosmetic treatment zones in tissue. The system can include a hand wand, a removable transducer module, a control module, and / or graphical user interface. In some embodiments, the cosmetic treatment system may be used in cosmetic procedures, including brow lifts, fat reduction, sweat reduction, and treatment of the décolletage. Skin tightening, lifting and amelioration of wrinkles and stretch marks are provided.

Device and methods for the treatment of wounds using ultrasound energy are disclosed. The portable wound treatment device may deliver ultrasound energy to a wound through direct contact with the ultrasound tip and / or through a liquid coupling medium. Several ultrasound tips specially designed to concentrate and focus ultrasound energy onto a wound are also disclosed. The ultrasound tip may also possess an abrasive peripheral boundary to aid in debriding the wound and / or removing necrotic tissue. The disclosed invention may have multiple beneficial effects in treating a wound such as sterilizing a wound, reducing external bleeding, and / or providing pain relief.

A method of treating tissue within a body includes directing an ultrasound transducer having a plurality of transducer elements towards target body tissue, and delivering ultrasound energy towards the target tissue from the transducer elements such that an energy intensity at the target tissue is at or above a prescribed treatment level, while an energy intensity at tissue to be protected in the ultrasound energy path of the transducer elements is at or below a prescribed safety level.

A system and method for treating skin. The System comprises one or more ultrasound transducers and one or more pairs of RF electrodes. The ultrasound transducers are adapted to focus ultrasound energy at one or more focal volumes in the skin. The RF electrodes are adapted to deliver RF energy to the one or more focal volumes. The method comprises heating the skin to a first temperature at one or more focal volumes in the skin by focusing ultrasound energy at the one or more focal volumes. The focal regions are then heated to a second temperature, the second temperature being higher than the first temperature, by generating an RF current in a region of the skin containing the focal regions.

A leadless Deep Brain Stimulation system includes an implantable stimulator configured to convert incoming acoustic energy into an electric stimulation signal. The acoustic energy is provided by one or more external transmitters acoustically coupled to a head of the subject. To focus ultrasound energy onto the location of the stimulator, a wireless beacon (including a piezoelectric receiving transducer and an RF emitting antenna) is incorporated with the stimulator for providing an electromagnetic feedback signal to the external controller. The external controller is configured to send an initial unfocused acoustic signal towards the stimulator and receive the electromagnetic radiofrequency feedback signal generated by the receiving piezotransducer when affected by the acoustic signal after reverberation in the skull. This signal is then time-reversed and used to send a second signal towards the stimulator. This signal is inherently focused on the site of the stimulator and is configured to carry sufficient energy to operate the stimulator for DBS purposes.

There are provided a biological information imaging apparatus that can measure ultrasound generated from an optical absorber in a deep part of a subject living bodywith high sensitivity, and a method for analyzing biological information using the biological information imaging apparatus. The biological information imaging apparatus that detects ultrasound and images biological information, includes: a light source that irradiates the subject with light for generating ultrasound from an optical absorber existing in the subject; an ultrasound transmission unit that transmits focus ultrasound to a specific region where the optical absorber exists; and an ultrasound detection unit that detects an ultrasound synthesized signal due to interaction between ultrasound generated from the optical absorber that absorbs the light and the focus ultrasound transmitted to the specific region.

Systems and methods for focusing ultrasound through the skull into the brain for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes may be improved by utilizing both longitudinal and shear waves. The relative contribution of the two modes may be determined based on the angle of incidence.

The depth of focus in the elevation plane of an acoustic ultrasound transducer is extended. The ultrasound transducer comprises an acoustic element, said element having a substantially uniform frequency amplitude characteristic across its spatial extent and transmitting an ultrasound beam when excited, an acoustic lens positioned in front of said element, said lens having a cross sectional profile comprising (1) a curved portion with a curved front surface and a back surface facing said transducer element, said curved lens portion providing a focal point at a first focal range, and (2) a pair of linear portions with linear front surfaces and back surfaces facing said transducer element, said linear portions positioned on either side of said curved portion, and said linear portions providing continuous focusing at imaging ranges after said first focal depth of said curved portion. The broadband frequency characteristic of said element means that all frequencies are focused at all focal points, which makes the invention particularly useful for harmonic ultrasound imaging.

The invention discloses a double-frequency ultrasonic multi-dimensional focused noninvasive cerebrovascular thrombolytic system, which is characterized in that: a craniocerebral vertical positioning ring is worn for image detection and acquisition of positioning image data; the position and treatment position of a focus can be determined by using a medical image three-dimensional reconstruction technique; a multi-dimensional low-power low-frequency ultrasonic transducer is placed on the same cut face of a focus of cerebral embolism to form a stable ultrasonic cavitation effect is formed in the thrombus or the focus of the cerebral embolism; a medium-frequency and / or high-frequency focused ultrasound transducer is used to radiate the thrombus by a focused ultrasonic focal point from a position on the same cut face of body surface which is most close to the focus, the focused ultrasonic waves are focused with high power, high sound intensity and high accuracy and are intermittently emitted in a pulse modulation ultrasonic wave mode in a short time to form an instant unstable ultrasonic cavitation effect in the thrombus to induce blasting in the thrombus, so that the thrombus is disintegrated and dissolved quickly; and while the thrombus is quickly and effectively dissolved, the inner wall of the blood vessel and surrounding normal brain tissues are not damaged, so in-vitro noninvasive thrombolytic effect is achieved.

A focused ultrasound system includes an ultrasound transducer configured to emit focused ultrasound energy toward a subject and a positioning system configured to position the ultrasound transducer to localize the focused ultrasound energy within a target location. The positioning system includes a drive apparatus to translate the ultrasound transducer along at least one axis of motion and a motor controller to control the drive apparatus. The focused ultrasound system also includes a control system connected to the motor controller that is programmed to receive imaging / location data from an imaging system, determine positional coordinates of the target location based on the imaging / location data, and register the positional coordinates of the target location with the positioning system. The positional coordinates are sent to the motor controller via an input signal to cause the motor controller to control the drive apparatus so as to translate the ultrasound transducer.

The invention discloses a phase-control focusing ultrasonic source device, comprising a plurality of transducer array elements used for emitting ultrasonic and a bearing part used for bearing the transducer array elements. The transducer array elements are in cylinder shape; a piezoelectricity wafer on the top of the array element can be in round convex shape or round concave shape, or the top of the cylindrical array element is provided with a round piezoelectricity flat piece as well as an acoustic lens; the bottom of the array element is provided with a base which is bonded into a whole with the piezoelectricity wafer; the bearing part is a sphere concave surface; all the transducer array elements are born to the bearing part to lead all the piezoelectricity wafers to be arranged in sphere concave surfaces; the plurality of transducer array elements are connected with a phase control device which adjusts the phases of all array element emitting signals by using electronic technology, thus adjusting focus position and focusing direction. The invention has the advantages of reinforcing the focusing performance of the sphere phase-control arrays, being used for high-strength focusing ultrasonic therapy equipment, only destroying tumor tissue without damaging normal tissue, thus improving therapeutic effect.

The invention discloses a acoustic field focal point mode driving and control method of sphere phased array focusing ultrasonic transducer, comprising a acoustic field algorism of sphere rectangle phased array and a driving control of phased multiple-points focusing mold genetic algorism. And the system matched aid method is that: a main control computer controls a layer-distribution controller to control the hundred-channel power driver to drive the hundred-array unit sphere phased array focusing ultrasonic transducer. The invention combines two algorism control methods in said treatment system to generate the acoustic mold as three-dimensional single focus, three-dimensional multiple focuses, combination switch focus and sub-array single and multiple focus. Wherein, the big focus formed by multiple focuses has larger volume and higher efficiency in single treatment than present single array focus; and the sub-array focus mold can avoid the shade of rib to process the focusing ultrasonic non-invasive surgery.

The invention discloses a double-frequency focused ultrasound system. The double-frequency focused ultrasound system comprises an ultrasound transducer component which is provided with a first ultrasound transducer and a second ultrasound transducer, a first power amplifier which is connected with the first ultrasound transducer, a first signal generator which is connected with the first power amplifier, a second power amplifier which is connected with the second ultrasound transducer, a second signal generator which is connected with the second power amplifier, a plurality of signal receiving devices which are contacted with human skin, and a signal analysis device which is connected with a plurality of signal receiving devices, wherein the first ultrasound transducer and the second ultrasound transducer are confocal. By using the principle that the beat frequency is produced by the difference frequency interference, low-frequency vibration with a good mechanical effect is generated in a target area by utilizing two high-frequency sound waves with high space directivity, the mechanical stimulation of tissues and organs is realized, the mechanical stimulation and the tissue ablation are combined through double-frequency focused ultrasound, so that the diagnosis and treatment of lesion sites through the mechanical stimulation are realized.

Apparatus for treating cardiac arrhythmias includes an ultrasonic ablation device incorporating an ultrasonic emitter (22, 400), means (10, 14, 402, 404) for positioning the ablation device outside of the heart but adjacent the epicardial surface of the heart, and means (26, 28, 30) for focusing the ultrasonic energy emitted by the emitter into an ablation region, so that the ablation region is disposed within the wall of the heart.

Embodiments of a dermatological cosmetic treatment and imaging system and method can include use of transducer to simultaneously or substantially simultaneously produce multiple cosmetic treatment zones in tissue. The system can include a hand wand, a removable transducer module, a control module, and / or graphical user interface. In some embodiments, the cosmetic treatment system may be used in cosmetic procedures, including brow lifts, fat reduction, sweat reduction, and treatment of the décolletage. Skin tightening, lifting and amelioration of wrinkles and stretch marks are provided.

A helmet-type low-intensity focused ultrasound stimulation device includes: a first guide part formed in an arc shape and provided in a longitudinal direction; a second guide part which is formed in an arc shape and is connected in a transverse direction so as to be orthogonal to the first guide part; an ultrasound module which is connected to the second guide part and includes a transducer for generating ultrasound waves moving towards an inner direction; and a support part which is worn on a head of a user, and to which the first guide part is fixed and both end portions of the second guide part are rotationally fixed, in which the second guide part rotates in the longitudinal direction by allowing one point thereof to be guided along the first guide part, and the transducer is movable along the second guide part in a transverse direction.

The invention relates to an ultrasonic detection method for different technical stages of a composite blade ring. A pulse echo type water-leaching focused ultrasound C scan method is adopted for performing ultrasonic detection on the whole blade ring. The ultrasonic detection method comprises the following steps: firstly, respectively performing water-leaching focused ultrasound C scan detection on interior defects of a titanium alloy inner ring and outer ring forge piece to be used for making the whole blade ring; detecting a joint interface in an integrally formed blade ring after being subjected to cellosilk winding and inner and outer ring hot isostatic pressure, namely with a 5-10MHz water-leaching focused probe, respectively performing C scan imaging on an interface signal and a bottom wave signal; and detecting the bonding quality of a metal / metal interface between the inner and outer rings of titanium alloy and a metal / fiber interface between titanium alloy and silicon carbide cellosilk. The ultrasonic detection method can be adopted for comprehensively controlling the inner quality and interface bonding quality of the whole blade ring of silicon carbide fiber enhanced Ti-based composite and has the advantages of strong operability, high detection sensitivity and direct detection result.

The invention relates to a laser focused ultrasound excitation magnetic acoustoelectric imaging method and device. A laser beam subjected to beam expanding irradiates a carbon nanotube photoacoustic enhancement medium; focused ultrasound is generated; the focused ultrasound and a static magnetic field mutually act in a bioimaging body to generate a local electric field source; and a receiving coil or an electrode detection signal is used for rebuilding a biological tissue conductivity image. The laser focused ultrasound excitation magnetic acoustoelectric imaging device comprises a laser focused ultrasound excitation module, a coupling module, a detection and rebuilding module and a control and synchronization module, wherein the laser focused ultrasound excitation module generates controllable focused ultrasound with high pulse, high frequency and small focal spot; and the coupling module realizes the multi-physics coupling of the focused ultrasound, a target imaging body and electromagnetic excitation. The detection and rebuilding module realizes the detection on weak electric signals and the rebuilding on the target imaging body; and the control and synchronization module realizes the control and synchronization of the whole device.

The focussing ultrasonic modulation reflection type optical chromatographic imaging method utilizes the focussing ultrasonic technique to make modulation and tissue location of the laser injected into deep biological tissue, and uses optical technique to make high-sensitivity detection and real-time high-speed. Fourier transform to process signal, and can obtain the chromatogram of pathologic changed tissue region. The injection laser mand modulation ultrasonic wave are coaxially-retained, and its signal exciting device and receiving device adopt homoside reflection mode. Said optical chromatographic imaging equipment is formed from laser, optical polarization component, ultrasonic component, photo-electric conversion component, signal display and real-time rapid Fourier transform module and computer.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and compositions for tissue- specific delivery of a gene therapeutic, transgenic nucleic acid in mammals. Methods and compositions of the invention include the steps of providing a nucleic acid comprising a transgene flanked by two terminal repeats and, within the same or on a separate nucleic acid, a nucleotide sequence encoding a transposase, wherein the transgene comprises a biotherapeutic gene, contacting the nucleic acid with perfluorocarbon gas-filled microbubbles to form a mixture, introducing the mixture into the bloodstream of a mammal, and focusing ultrasound pulses on a specific tissue of said mammal, wherein said pulses disrupt said microbubbles of said mixture and release said nucleic acid into the bloodstream within the target tissue, thereby enabling uptake of the transgenic nucleic acid into the cells of said target tissue.

The invention provides an ultrasound monitoring and targeted controlled release system and belongs to the technical field of ultrasound molecular imaging. The ultrasound monitoring and targeted controlled release system can solve the problem that precise targeted controlled release of medicines or genes cannot be achieved through an existing ultrasound imaging device. The ultrasound monitoring and targeted controlled release system comprises an ultrasound monitoring unit for forming an image of a to-be-treated part, an ultrasound triggering unit for utilizing focusing ultrasound waves to trigger microbubbles of an ultrasound contrast agent where the medicines or the genes are loaded and an image analysis unit for analyzing the image collected by the ultrasound monitoring unit, wherein the ultrasound monitoring unit comprises an ultrasound monitoring probe for sending out the ultrasonic waves; and the ultrasound triggering unit comprises an ultrasound triggering probe for sending out focusing ultrasound waves. The center of the ultrasound triggering probe is provided with a hole path and the ultrasound monitoring probe is fixedly integrated in the hole path. The ultrasound monitoring and targeted controlled release system can be used for treatment and research of ultrasound molecular imaging of small animals and large animals.

The invention discloses a stereotactic, multifrequency and nondestructive focused ultrasound coronary artery in-vitro thrombus dissolving system, which is characterized in that: a positioning metal breast band is worn for performing image study and acquiring positioning image data; a medical image three-dimensional reconstruction technique is used to determine a lesion site and a treatment position; a multidimensional low-power and low-frequency ultrasonic transducer is placed on the same cut face of a coronary artery thrombosis lesion to form a stable ultrasonic cavitation effect in a thrombus or thrombosis lesion; a medium and / or high-frequency focused ultrasound transducer is used to irradiate the thrombus by a focused ultrasonic wave focal spot from a position of the same cut face of body surface which is most close to the thrombosis lesion; focused ultrasonic waves are focused with high power, high sound intensity and high accuracy and intermittently emitted in a pulse modulated ultrasonic wave mode in a short time to form instant instable ultrasonic wave cavitation effect in the thrombus to induce internal blasting in the thrombus, so that the thrombus disintegrates and dissolves quickly; and while the thrombus dissolves quickly and effectively, the inner walls of the blood vessels and normal cardiac muscular tissues around are not damaged, and an in-vitro nondestructive thrombus dissolving effect is achieved.