Abstract: An apparatus includes a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system and a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system. A memory stores: instructions, pulse sequence commands for an acoustic radiation force imaging protocol, and first and second sonication commands. The pulse sequence commands specify acquisition of the MR data for first and second pulse sequence repetitions. The pulse sequence commands specify for each of the sequence repetitions a first and a second group of motion encoding gradients. Execution of the instructions causes a processor to: acquire first and second MR data by controlling the MR imaging system with the pulse sequence commands and by controlling the HIFU system with the first and second sonication commands, respectively; reconstruct first and second motion encoded images from the first and second MR data, respectively; and construct a displacement map from the difference of the first and second motion encoded images.

Abstract: A device for positioning an energy-generating transducer probe a movement unit. The transducer probe may be configured for heat treatment of biological tissues and emits energy in one aiming direction which is located in an aiming plane. The movement unit is configured to alter the position of the transducer probe and, consequently, the aiming direction in the aiming plane around a target zone within the aiming plane.

Abstract: In Magnetic Resonance Acoustic Radiation Force Imaging (MR-ARFI), an MR imaging device (10) performs gradient echo imaging including successive MR dynamics with opposite encoding of displacement to generate MR-ARFI data of a subject comprising successive image frames with opposite displacement encoding. An ultrasound device (12) applies sonication to the subject during the gradient echo imaging. An electronic processor (22) performs MR-ARFI data processing applied to image elements at image frames of the MR-ARFI data. A displacement is computed (30) for the image element at the image frame as proportional to a phase difference between the image element in the image frame and the image element in a succeeding or preceding image frame with opposite displacement encoding. The computed displacement is corrected (32) for a temperature change between the image frame and the succeeding or preceding image frame. The temperature change is determined using the MR-ARFI data.

Abstract: The present invention provides n ultrasonic treatment device (10) for heating a portion of a subject of interest, comprising a ultrasonic irradiation unit (12) for generating high-intensity focused ultrasonic irradiation, whereby a beam path of the ultrasonic irradiation is movable along a trajectory for depositing ultrasonic energy within a target zone (22) of the subject of interest, and a control unit (20) for controlling the ultrasonic irradiation unit (12) to move the beam path of the ultrasonic irradiation along the trajectory and to apply an ultrasonic dose to the target zone (22), wherein the control unit (20) is adapted to receive temperature information of the target zone (22) and to control the ultrasonic irradiation unit (12) based on the received temperature information, and the control unit (20) is adapted to control the ultrasonic irradiation unit (12) based on the temperature of a current (26) and at least one previous direction (28) of the beam path of the ultrasonic irradiation along the tra

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical apparatus comprising a processor. Execution instructions causes the processor to receive a treatment plan descriptive of an ionizing radiation beam treatment of a target zone within a subject using a radiation beam therapy system with a radiation source and a gantry. The radiation source is operable for aiming a radiation beam path at a rotational axis of the gantry. The instructions further cause the processor to receive a planning thermal distribution descriptive of ultrasound heating of the subject with a high intensity focused ultrasound system of a heating zone and an ultrasound beam path within the subject. The target zone is within the heating zone. The instructions further cause the processor to generate radiation control command data using the planning thermal distribution and the treatment plan.

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical apparatus (100) comprising a high intensity focused ultrasound system (122) and a magnetic resonance imaging system (102). A memory (152) stores machine executable instructions (280, 282, 284, 286) and pulse sequence commands (260) for an acoustic radiation force imaging protocol. The memory further stores first sonication commands (262) and second sonication commands (264) for controlling the high intensity focused ultrasound system to sonicate the sonication region according to the acoustic radiation force imaging protocol. The pulse sequence commands specifies the acquisition of the magnetic resonance data for multiple pulse sequence repetitions. The pulse sequence commands specifies for each of the multiple sequence repetitions a first group of motion encoding gradients (406) and a second group (408) of motion encoding gradients.

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical apparatus (100, 300, 400) comprising a processor (104). Execution instructions (120, 122, 124, 370, 372, 374, 376, 378, 380, 382, 384, 386) causes the processor to receive (200) a treatment plan (120) descriptive of an ionizing radiation beam treatment of a target zone (340) within a subject (320) using a radiation beam therapy system (301) with a radiation source (354) and a gantry (350). The radiation source is operable for aiming a radiation beam path (358) at a rotational axis (352) of the gantry. The instructions further cause the processor to receive (202) a planning thermal distribution (122) descriptive of ultrasound heating of the subject with a high intensity focused ultrasound system (304) of a heating zone (338) and an ultrasound beam path (332) within the subject. The target zone is within the heating zone.

Abstract: A medical apparatus including an ultrasound transmitter and receiver system for acquiring ultrasound data descriptive of the speed of ultrasound along at least two paths. The medical apparatus further includes a medical imaging system for acquiring medical image data and a memory containing instructions that causes the processor to acquire the medical image data. The instructions further cause the processor to acquire the ultrasound data. The instructions further cause the processor to segment the medical image data into at least two tissue types. The instructions further causes the processor to determine at least two distances corresponding to the at least two paths in the subject. The instructions further cause the processor to calculate the speed of ultrasound in the at least two tissue types.

Abstract: The present invention provides n ultrasonic treatment device (10) for heating a portion of a subject of interest, comprising a ultrasonic irradiation unit (12) for generating high-intensity focused ultrasonic irradiation, whereby a beam path of the ultrasonic irradiation is movable along a trajectory for depositing ultrasonic energy within a target zone (22) of the subject of interest, and a control unit (20) for controlling the ultrasonic irradiation unit (12) to move the beam path of the ultrasonic irradiation along the trajectory and to apply an ultrasonic dose to the target zone (22), wherein the control unit (20) is adapted to receive temperature information of the target zone (22) and to control the ultrasonic irradiation unit (12) based on the received temperature information, and the control unit (20) is adapted to control the ultrasonic irradiation unit (12) based on the temperature of a current (26) and at least one previous direction (28) of the beam path of the ultrasonic irradiation along the tra

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical instrument (300, 500, 600) comprising a high intensity focused ultrasound system (302) comprising an ultrasonic transducer (306) with multiple transducer elements (400, 402, 404, 406, 408). The medical instrument further comprises a memory (334) containing machine executable instructions (350, 352, 354, 520, 522, 524) which cause a processor to receive (100, 200) a treatment plan (340) specifying a protected zone (322) within a subject (301) and to calculate (102, 208) a set of transducer control parameters (342) using the treatment plan. The set of transducer control parameters specify the switching of electrical power to the multiple transducer elements. An ultrasonic intensity estimate (900) in the protected zone is below a predetermined threshold. The ultrasonic intensity estimate is calculated using an incoherent sum of the ultrasonic pressure generated by each of the multiple transducer elements.

Abstract: A therapeutic apparatus (300, 400, 500) comprising a high intensity focused ultrasound system (302) comprising an ultrasound transducer (306). The ultrasound transducer has an electronically adjustable focus (318). The high intensity focused ultrasound system has a beam deflection zone (322, 608, 704, 1010). The intensity of ultrasound at the electronically adjustable focus divided by the acoustic power emitted is above a predetermined threshold (606, 1008) within the beam deflection zone. The therapeutic apparatus further comprises a processor (328) for controlling the therapeutic apparatus. Execution of machine executable instructions (350, 352, 354) causes the processor to: receive (102, 202) real time medical data (342, 424, 506) descriptive of the location of a moving target (320, 802); adjust (104, 204) the electronically adjustable focus to target the moving target using the real time medical data; and sonicate (106, 206) the moving target when the moving target is within the beam deflection zone.

Abstract: A medical apparatus (400) comprising an ultrasound transmitter (444, 602) and receiver (446, 604) system (600) for acquiring ultrasound data (476) descriptive of the speed of ultrasound (304, 306) along at least two paths (606, 1114). The medical apparatus further comprises a medical imaging system (402) for acquiring medical image data (468) and a memory (464) containing instructions (490, 492, 494, 496, 498, 500, 502, 504) that causes the processor to acquire (100, 200) the medical image data. The instructions further cause the processor to acquire (102, 202) the ultrasound data. The instructions further cause the processor to segment (104, 204) the medical image data into at least two tissue types (434, 436, 610, 612, 708, 710). The instructions further causes the processor to determine (106, 206) at least two distances corresponding to the at least two paths in the subject. The instructions further cause the processor to calculate (108, 208) the speed of ultrasound in the at least two tissue types.

Abstract: An assembly for heat treating an area of biological tissue, including an energy generating device for supplying energy to a focal point in said area, a device for measuring the spatial temperature distribution in said area, and a control unit for controlling the movement of the focal point along a predetermined path to give a spatial temperature distribution consistent with a pre-sent distribution, characterized in that, as the focal point moves along the path, the control unit controls the distribution of the energy provided by the generating device depending on the measured temperature distribution and the pre-set distribution, in accordance with a control law including a proportional-integral-derivative term.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for the heat treatment of a target region of a biological tissue, comprising: energy generator means for delivering energy to a focal point (P) in the target region; means for measuring the spatial temperature distribution in said region; a control unit comprising means for controlling the displacement of the focal point (P) towards successive treatment points and means for controlling the energy to be delivered by the generator means to the successive treatment points, characterized in that the control unit further includes means for determining a spatial and energy distribution of the treatment points where treatment is to be carried out, each successive treatment point having a position and a treatment energy that are determined according to the positions and spatial and energy distributions of the previous treatment points. The invention also relates to the associated heat treatment method.

Abstract: This invention concerns a device for heat treating a moving target area of biological tissues, comprising calculation means (6) for estimating the position of a target area using a measurement signal of the target area, characterized in that it comprises control means (7) for positioning a treatment focal point (P) in the target area based on the estimated position and a positioning time lag between a measurement of the measurement signal of the target area and the positioning of the treatment focal point (P), so as to compensate the movement of the target area during the positioning time lag. The invention also concerns a related heat treating method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for positioning the energy-generating means of an assembly for the heat treatment of biological tissues, whereby the energy-generating means are adapted to emit energy in one aiming direction which is located in an aiming plane. The inventive device is characterized in that it comprises movement means which can alter the position of the energy-generating means and, consequently, the aiming direction in the aiming plane around a target zone within said aiming plane.

Abstract: An assembly for heat treating an area of biological tissue, including energy generating means for supplying energy to a focal point in said area, means for measuring the spatial temperature distribution in said area, and a control unit for controlling the movement of the focal point along a predetermined path to give a spatial temperature distribution consistent with a pre-sent distribution, characterized in that, as the focal point moves along the path, the control unit controls the distribution of the energy provided by the generating means depending on the measured temperature distribution and the pre-set distribution, in accordance with a control law including a proportional-integral-derivative term.