Shahram Vaezy,Arthur H. Chan,Victor Y. Fujimoto,Donald E. Moore,Roy W. Martin
申请号:
US12946727
公开号:
US08337434B2
申请日:
2010.11.15
申请国别(地区):
US
年份:
2012
代理人:
摘要:
A plurality of concepts related to HIFU therapy are disclosed, including a technique to spatially track and display the relative positions of a HIFU focal point and an imaging plane from an ultrasound imager, so that a clinician can ensure that the HIFU focus remains in the image plane during HIFU therapy, thereby facilitating image guided HIFU therapy. Also disclosed are a plurality of transvaginal probes that include a HIFU transducer optimized for the treatment of uterine fibroids. In one embodiment, the probe includes a piezoceramic crystal bonded to an aluminum lens, to achieve a HIFU transducer having a focal length of about 4 cm. In another embodiment, the probe includes a generally spoon-shaped transducer including a plurality of individual emitter elements. Still another concept disclosed herein is a method for evaluating a quality of a coupling between a liquid-filled volume encompassing a HIFU transducer and a tissue interface.