Abstract: A system and method for a lithotripter is provided. The system can include a shockwave generator and an ultrasonic transmitting/receiving unit, which are in communication with an evaluating unit. The transmitting/receiving unit can include an ultrasonic transducer that emits ultrasonic pulses and receives ultrasonic waves reflected from a target area of the shockwave generator. The evaluating unit can determine a correlation coefficient of the time correlation between the ultrasonic waves and the ultrasonic pulses and provide a signal related to the coefficient. The method can include emitting ultrasonic pulses from the transducer into a body, receiving the ultrasonic waves reflected from a target object in the body, evaluating the received ultrasonic waves with the evaluating unit to determine the correlation coefficient, and providing a signal related to the correlation coefficient.

Abstract: A laser instrument that can perform effective vaporization of biological tissue and stabilization of the application cap during tissue removal is provided. The laser instrument includes an optical waveguide with a light guide portion that emits light and an application cap coupled to the optical waveguide that transmits light. The laser instrument can be inserted into an endoscope and extended or retracted to position the application cap for vaporization and removal of biological tissue.

Abstract: A method and a apparatus for transferring medically effective substances in the form of molecules, such as DNA, oligos, certain chemicals, etc., into the living cells of humans, animals and/or plants using acoustic energy or through cavitation which is produced by acoustic energy in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. Via suitable sensors, the lifetime of the cavitation bubbles is determined or specified, which then for its part acts as the criterion or the function for controlling the acoustic intensity and thus also the cavitation intensity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing bipolar acoustic pulses is provided. The apparatus includes a boundary layer medium in between a propagation medium and a border medium. The boundary layer medium is configured to reflect unipolar acoustic pulses to convert them into bipolar acoustic pulses. The method includes providing the foregoing boundary layer medium, propagation medium, and border medium, and additionally providing a reflector positioned to reflect unipolar acoustic pulses onto the boundary layer medium. The method further includes converting unipolar acoustic pulses into bipolar acoustic pulses by reflecting the unipolar acoustic pulses off of the boundary layer medium.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manipulating acoustic pulses is provided. The apparatus includes a wave-path with an acoustic network suspended within it, and the acoustic network includes at least one acoustic lens and at least one acoustic plate. The acoustic lens is structured to convert a plane pulse into a converging pulse, and the acoustic plate is structured to convert a single pulse into a split converging pulse. The method includes providing the foregoing wave-path and acoustic network, and converting a plane pulse to a split converging pulse by transmitting the plane pulse along the acoustic wave-path through the acoustic network.

Abstract: A method for locating a concrement (3), for example a renal calculus or gallstone, in the body (1) of an organism for positioning a therapy device such as a lithotripsy instrument, whereby a substantially vertical projection image of the concrement is generated on an image window (6) by means of a radiation source (5), the body is displaced in the body plane relative to the radiation source (5), the projection d′ of the displacement distance is captured with a further projection image and the vertical z-position of the concrement is calculated as 1 z = z ′ · d d ′ ,