The present invention provides a method for heating a target zone (3) of a subject of interest (1) according to pre-defined heating requirements using ultrasonic irradiation, comprising the steps of providing an ultrasonic irradiation device comprising a set of individually controllable transducer elements in vicinity of the target zone (3), defining at least one sensitive zone (2) within an area (4) covered by ultrasonic irradiation device, and controlling the ultrasonic irradiation device to apply sonications of ultrasonic energy to the target zone (3) to achieve the desired heating thereof, wherein the transducer elements are individually controlled in phase and amplitude to provide the sonications as a beam (5) directed towards the target zone (3), wherein the beam (5) has a energy distribution so that the pre-defined heating requirements of the target zone (3) are met and the exposure of the at least one sensitive zone (2) is minimized The present invention further provides an ultrasonic irradiation device adapted to perform the above method. By individually controlling the transducer elements, beam shaping of the ultrasonic irradiation can be applied over sensitive zones like scars, bones, bowels, spines or others without associating an intensity limit or energy exposure limit thereto. Such a configuration of active elements is sought, that the exposure on the sensitive zone is minimized, without compromising focal properties or violating restrictions on the number of active elements.La présente invention concerne un procédé de chauffage d'une zone cible (3) d'un sujet d'intérêt (1) selon des exigences de chauffage prédéfinies, à l'aide d'un rayonnement ultrasonore, comprenant les étapes consistant à fournir un dispositif de rayonnement ultrasonore comprenant un ensemble d'éléments de transducteur pouvant être commandés individuellement au voisinage de la zone cible (3), à définir au moins une zone sensible (2) dans une région (4) recouverte par un dispositif
