Abstract: An apparatus for applying thermal energy to a prostate gland. The apparatus to apply therapeutic treatment to the prostate includes a tube with a longitudinal passageway and wall having radial apertures, power leads threaded through the tube and out the radial apertures in the wall of the tube. Ultrasound crystals are disposed over the tube and the power leads are coupled through the apertures to the ultrasound crystals and a sealant is disposed adjacent and coupled acoustically to the ultrasound crystals. The apparatus is particularly useful to shape the ultrasound treatment fields and minimize application of energy to rectal tissue and the like.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping temperature from image data. The method includes the steps of: receiving an image of tissue comprised of multiple pixels, segregating the image into groups of pixels (104), each group of pixels having a set of descriptors (106), establishing a baseline set of descriptors corresponding to initial conditions of the imaged tissue (108), measuring a differential in the set of descriptors for a group of pixels (114), the differential corresponding to a change in pixel values for the group of pixels, correlating said measured differential to a temperature change for the tissue corresponding to the group of pixels (118-124), and overlaying an indication of temperature over the tissue image in response to said correlated temperature change indicating a change in temperature range for the tissue (130-132).

Abstract: A method of providing thermal therapy to prostate tissue of a patient. The method includes: inserting a mechanical separator or infusing a fluid to separate human tissue to be treated from nontarget tissue, thereby providing thermal insulation and other beneficial effects, and applying the thermal therapy to the target tissue.

Abstract: A method for performing thermotherapy treatment of patient prostate tissue, comprising the steps of inserting a thermotherapy probe in a urethral passageway, the probe having a fluid volume containing portion and an energy source inserted therein for generating radiation to heat the patient prostate tissue by the tissue absorbing the radiation; generating a pressurized fluid flow in the probe within the fluid volume containing portion and cooling the energy source by enveloping at least a portion of the energy source to direct the pressurized fluid flow to come into direct contact with and circulate around and over all energy radiating portions of the energy source simultaneously with energy radiation by the energy source, thereby preventing thereby preventing thermal damage to the energy source; and providing an inflatable nondistensible structure as part of the probe inserted into the urethral passageway and inflating the nondistensible structure with the pressurized fluid flow to cool tissue contacting the

Abstract: A thermotherapy method for treatment of prostate tissues. The thermotherapy method comprises the steps of locating a cylindrical ultrasound transducer substantially within an applicator housing, dimensioning the cylindrical ultrasound transducer to have a radius of curvature larger than a radius of curvature of the applicator housing, and providing a power source for the ultrasound transducer to produce a focused energy field.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for training physicians and technicians to locate stones found in simulated human body organs, principally simulated biliary and renal calculi, and then actually fragment these calculi using ESWL. A reusable semi-anthropomorphic phantom comprises an opaque liver tissue-equivalent mass having anatomically correct simulated organ cavities associated with the midsection of a human body, principally the gall bladder and the kidney. Channels lead from the exterior of the phantom to the simulated organs. A concrement is introduced into at least one simulated organ, the channels and simulated organs are filled with a fluid-like substance, and the channels are closed with plugs. A trainee then utilizes an ultrasound or X-ray locating device to examine the phantom until the concrements are located. The coordinates of the located concrements are then utilized with a concrement destroying apparatus such as an extracorporeal shock wave lithotripter (ESWL).

Abstract: A method of providing thermal therapy to prostate tissue of a patient. The method includes: inserting a mechanical separator or infusing a fluid to separate human tissue to be treated from nontarget tissue, thereby providing thermal insulation and other beneficial effects, and applying the thermal therapy to the target tissue.