Patents Assigned to InSightec - Image Guided Treatment Ltd.
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Patent number: 7611462Abstract: A focused ultrasound system includes a transducer array, a controller for providing drive signals to the transducer array, and a switch. The transducer array includes a plurality of “n” transducer elements, and the controller includes a plurality of “m” output channels providing sets of drive signals having respective phase shift values, “m” being less than “n.” The switch is coupled to the output channels of the controller and to the transducer elements, and is configured for connecting the output channels to respective transducer elements. The controller may assign the transducer elements to respective output channels based upon a size and/or shape of a desired focal zone within the target region, to steer or otherwise move a location of the focal zone, and/or to compensate for tissue aberrations caused by tissue between the transducer array and the focal zone, geometric tolerances and/or impedance variations of the transducer elements.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2003Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: Insightec-Image Guided Treatment Ltd.Inventors: Kobi Vortman, Shuki Vitek, Avner Ezion
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Patent number: 7377900Abstract: An apparatus for delivering acoustic energy to a target site adjacent a body passage includes first and second elongate members, each carrying one or more transducer elements on their distal ends. The first and/or second elongate members include connectors for securing the first and second elongate members together such that the transducer elements together define a transducer array. The first and second elongate members are introduced sequentially into a body passage until the transducer elements are disposed adjacent a target site. Acoustic energy is delivered from the transducer elements to the target site to treat tissue therein. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a tubular member and an expandable structure carrying a plurality of transducer elements. The structure is expanded between a contracted configuration during delivery and an enlarged configuration when deployed for delivering acoustic energy to a target site adjacent the body passage.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2003Date of Patent: May 27, 2008Assignee: Insightec - Image Guided Treatment Ltd.Inventors: Shuki Vitek, Doron Kopelman, Yoav Medan, Dov Maor
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Publication number: 20070197918Abstract: An apparatus for delivering acoustic energy to a target site adjacent a body passage includes first and second elongate members, each carrying one or more transducer elements on their distal ends. The first and/or second elongate members include connectors for securing the first and second elongate members together such that the transducer elements together define a transducer array. The first and second elongate members are introduced sequentially into a body passage until the transducer elements are disposed adjacent a target site. Acoustic energy is delivered from the transducer elements to the target site to treat tissue therein. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a tubular member and an expandable structure carrying a plurality of transducer elements. The structure is expanded between a contracted configuration during delivery and an enlarged configuration when deployed for delivering acoustic energy to a target site adjacent the body passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2007Publication date: August 23, 2007Applicant: INSIGHTEC - IMAGE GUIDED TREATMENT LTD.Inventors: Shuki Vitek, Doron Kopelman, Yoav Medan, Dov Maor
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Publication number: 20060058678Abstract: A focused ultrasound system includes an ultrasound transducer device forming an opening, and having a plurality of transducer elements positioned at least partially around the opening. A focused ultrasound system includes a structure having a first end for allowing an object to be inserted and a second end for allowing the object to exit, and a plurality of transducer elements coupled to the structure, the transducer elements located relative to each other in a formation that at least partially define an opening, wherein the transducer elements are configured to emit acoustic energy that converges at a focal zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2004Publication date: March 16, 2006Applicant: Insightec - Image Guided Treatment Ltd.Inventors: Shuki Vitek, Kobi Vortman
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Publication number: 20040236253Abstract: A focused ultrasound system includes a transducer array, a controller for providing drive signals to the transducer array, and a switch. The transducer array includes a plurality of “n” transducer elements, and the controller includes a plurality of “m” output channels providing sets of drive signals having respective phase shift values, “m” being less than “n.” The switch is coupled to the output channels of the controller and to the transducer elements, and is configured for connecting the output channels to respective transducer elements. The controller may assign the transducer elements to respective output channels based upon a size and/or shape of a desired focal zone within the target region, to steer or otherwise move a location of the focal zone, and/or to compensate for tissue aberrations caused by tissue between the transducer array and the focal zone, geometric tolerances and/or impedance variations of the transducer elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2003Publication date: November 25, 2004Applicant: Insightec-Image Guided Treatment Ltd.Inventors: Kobi Vortman, Shuki Vitek, Avner Ezion
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Patent number: 6705994Abstract: A method of imaging a site of interest in a body using an ultrasound probe comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements comprises obtaining an ultrasound image of a pass zone between the ultrasound probe and the site of interest. The image includes the site of interest and a plurality of tissue regions in a pass zone between the site of interest and the ultrasound probe. Boundaries of a selected tissue region in the pass zone are determined from the image. Focusing delay times are then computed for each ultrasound transducer element based in part on the speed of sound in the selected tissue region other than an average speed of sound in body tissue, and the boundaries of the selected tissue region. Preferably, a speed about the speed of sound in the selected tissue region is used and more preferably the speed of sound in the selected tissue region is used. Refraction may be considered, as well. Ultrasound imaging of the site of interest is then conducted employing the computed delay times.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2002Date of Patent: March 16, 2004Assignee: Insightec - Image Guided Treatment LTDInventors: Kobi Vortman, Shuki Vitek
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Publication number: 20040006272Abstract: A method of imaging a site of interest in a body using an ultrasound probe comprising a plurality of ultrasound transducer elements comprises obtaining an ultrasound image of a pass zone between the ultrasound probe and the site of interest. The image includes the site of interest and a plurality of tissue regions in a pass zone between the site of interest and the ultrasound probe. Boundaries of a selected tissue region in the pass zone are determined from the image. Focusing delay times are then computed for each ultrasound transducer element based in part on the speed of sound in the selected tissue region other than an average speed of sound in body tissue, and the boundaries of the selected tissue region. Preferably, a speed about the speed of sound in the selected tissue region is used and more preferably the speed of sound in the selected tissue region is used. Refraction may be considered, as well. Ultrasound imaging of the site of interest is then conducted employing the computed delay times.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2002Publication date: January 8, 2004Applicant: InSightec - Image Guided Treatment, Ltd.Inventors: Kobi Vortman, Shuki Vitek
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Patent number: 6612988Abstract: The invention provides a method of delivering ultrasound signals. The method includes providing an image of at least a portion of a subject intended to receive ultrasound signals between sources of the ultrasound signals and a desired region of the subject for receiving focused ultrasound signals, identifying, from the image, physical characteristics of different layers of material between the sources and the desired region, and determining at least one of phase corrections and amplitude corrections for the sources depending on respective thicknesses of portions of each of the layers disposed between each source and the desired region.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2000Date of Patent: September 2, 2003Assignees: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc., InSightec - Image Guided Treatment Ltd.Inventors: Dov Maor, Javier Grinfeld, Kullervo Hynynen