Patents by Inventor J. Brian Fowlkes
J. Brian Fowlkes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20230165567Abstract: A method of estimating lung motion (e.g., local lung motion and local lung ventilation) includes collecting a time series of ultrasound images of a lung surface, the time series including a plurality of frames, identifying a lung surface in one of the plurality of frames, and subsetting each of the plurality of frames into at least one sub-image. The method further includes applying a high pass temporal filter and a spatial filter. The method still further includes calculating inter-frame motion data from complex data sets associated with one or more pairs of temporally successive frames. In a further method, lung surface longitudinal strain is also calculated.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2021Publication date: June 1, 2023Inventors: Jonathan M. Rubin, J. Brian Fowlkes, Oliver D. Kripfgans, James D. Hamilton, Christopher Fung
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Publication number: 20220087647Abstract: A method of estimating lung motion includes collecting multiple ultrasound image data captured at one or more locations of a sample region of tissue. The method further includes comparing the multiple ultrasound image data and determining temporal correlation coefficients between each of the multiple ultrasound image data. The method still further includes displaying an image of the sample region of the tissue with the temporal correlation coefficients identified, thereby indicating lung motion. In further methods, the determined temporal correlation coefficients are used to determine an amount of decorrelation, which can be used to determine strain of the tissue over the sample region and to calculate lung displacements and lung shape changes representing ventilation.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2020Publication date: March 24, 2022Inventors: Jonathan M. Rubin, James D. Hamilton, Oliver D. Kripfgans, J. Brian Fowlkes
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Publication number: 20190125297Abstract: A device for 3-D imaging of the oral cavity for purposes of implant positioning, and in particular, a dental ultrasound scanner connected to a registration device that provides coordinates for realigning ultrasound images. The ultrasound scanner includes transducers having frequencies of 18 megahertz or higher and wavelengths of 80 microns or less. The reference device may be used as a surgical guide or a separate surgical guide may be created.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2017Publication date: May 2, 2019Inventors: Hsun-Liang Chan, Oliver D. Kripfgans, J. Brian Fowlkes
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Patent number: 9943708Abstract: A medical imaging and therapy device is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the device is that it can image a target tissue volume and apply ultrasound energy to the target tissue volume. In some embodiments, the medical imaging and therapy device is configured controllably apply ultrasound energy into the prostate by maintaining a cavitational bubble cloud generated by an ultrasound therapy system within an image of the prostate generated by an imaging system. The medical imaging and therapy device can be used in therapeutic applications such as Histotripsy, Lithotripsy, and HIFU, for example. Methods associated with use of the medical imaging and therapy device are also covered.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2010Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignees: HISTOSONICS, INC., THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: William W. Roberts, Timothy L. Hall, Charles A. Cain, J. Brian Fowlkes, Zhen Xu, Michael Thomas Kusner, Jr., Dejan Teofilovic
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Patent number: 9901753Abstract: A medical imaging and therapy device is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the device is that it can deliver Lithotripsy therapy to a patient, so as to fractionate urinary stones. Another feature of the device is that it can deliver Histotripsy therapy to a patient, so as to erode urinary stones. In some embodiments, the medical imaging and therapy device is configured to target and track urinary stones in the patient during therapy. Methods associated with use of the medical imaging and therapy device are also covered.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2010Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignees: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, HISTOSONICS, INC.Inventors: Charles A. Cain, Timothy L. Hall, William W. Roberts, Zhen Xu, J. Brian Fowlkes, Thomas W. Davison
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Patent number: 9642634Abstract: Therapy methods using pulsed cavitational ultrasound therapy can include the subprocesses of initiation, maintenance, therapy, and feedback of the histotripsy process, which involves the creation and maintenance of ensembles of microbubbles and the use of feedback in order to optimize the process based on observed spatial-temporal bubble cloud dynamics. The methods provide for the subdivision or erosion of tissue, liquification of tissue, and/or the enhanced delivery of therapeutic agents. Various feedback mechanisms allow variation of ultrasound parameters and provide control over the pulsed cavitational process, permitting the process to be tuned for a number of applications. Such applications can include specific tissue erosion, bulk tissue homogenization, and delivery of therapeutic agents across barriers.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2011Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: Charles A. Cain, Zhen Xu, J. Brian Fowlkes, Timothy L. Hall, William W. Roberts
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Patent number: 9345453Abstract: An ultrasound-based system determines dynamic strain measurements over a surface using ultrasound speckle analysis that allows for accurate measurement of surface area displacement. The system additionally determines an approximate displacement along a third axis, the z-axis. From these, an estimation of a local volume change is determined. In this way, a volume change can be determined for the lung or any other region of interest.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2015Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: Jonathan Rubin, James Hamilton, J. Brian Fowlkes, Oliver D. Kripfgans
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Publication number: 20160095580Abstract: An ultrasound-based system determines dynamic strain measurements over a surface using ultrasound speckle analysis that allows for accurate measurement of surface area displacement. The system additionally determines an approximate displacement along a third axis, the z-axis. From these, an estimation of a local volume change is determined. In this way, a volume change can be determined for the lung or any other region of interest.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2015Publication date: April 7, 2016Inventors: Jonathan Rubin, James Hamilton, J. Brian Fowlkes, Oliver D. Kripfgans
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Patent number: 9211110Abstract: An ultrasound-based system determines dynamic strain measurements over a surface using ultrasound speckle analysis that allows for accurate measurement of surface area displacement. The system additionally determines an approximate displacement along a third axis, the z-axis. From these, an estimation of a local volume change is determined. In this way, a volume change can be determined for the lung or any other region of interest.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2014Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: Jonathan Rubin, James Hamilton, J. Brian Fowlkes, Oliver D. Kripfgans
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Publication number: 20140316266Abstract: An ultrasound-based system determines dynamic strain measurements over a surface using ultrasound speckle analysis that allows for accurate measurement of surface area displacement. The system additionally determines an approximate displacement along a third axis, the z-axis. From these, an estimation of a local volume change is determined. In this way, a volume change can be determined for the lung or any other region of interest.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2014Publication date: October 23, 2014Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: Jonathan Rubin, Jamie Hamilton, J. Brian Fowlkes, Oliver D. Kripfgans
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Publication number: 20130303906Abstract: A medical imaging and therapy device is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the device is that it can deliver Lithotripsy therapy to a patient, so as to fractionate urinary stones. Another feature of the device is that it can deliver Histotripsy therapy to a patient, so as to erode urinary stones. In some embodiments, the medical imaging and therapy device is configured to target and track urinary stones in the patient during therapy. Methods associated with use of the medical imaging and therapy device are also covered.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2013Publication date: November 14, 2013Inventors: Charles A. Cain, Timothy L. Hall, William W. Roberts, Zhen Xu, J. Brian Fowlkes, Thomas W. Davison
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Publication number: 20120010541Abstract: Therapy methods using pulsed cavitational ultrasound therapy can include the subprocesses of initiation, maintenance, therapy, and feedback of the histotripsy process, which involves the creation and maintenance of ensembles of microbubbles and the use of feedback in order to optimize the process based on observed spatial-temporal bubble cloud dynamics. The methods provide for the subdivision or erosion of tissue, liquification of tissue, and/or the enhanced delivery of therapeutic agents. Various feedback mechanisms allow variation of ultrasound parameters and provide control over the pulsed cavitational process, permitting the process to be tuned for a number of applications. Such applications can include specific tissue erosion, bulk tissue homogenization, and delivery of therapeutic agents across barriers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2011Publication date: January 12, 2012Applicant: The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Charles A. Cain, Zhen Xu, J. Brian Fowlkes, Timothy L. Hall, William W. Roberts
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Patent number: 8057408Abstract: Therapy methods using pulsed cavitational ultrasound therapy can include the subprocesses of initiation, maintenance, therapy, and feedback of the histotripsy process, which involves the creation and maintenance of ensembles of microbubbles and the use of feedback in order to optimize the process based on observed spatial-temporal bubble cloud dynamics. The methods provide for the subdivision or erosion of tissue, liquification of tissue, and/or the enhanced delivery of therapeutic agents. Various feedback mechanisms allow variation of ultrasound parameters and provide control over the pulsed cavitational process, permitting the process to be tuned for a number of applications. Such applications can include specific tissue erosion, bulk tissue homogenization, and delivery of therapeutic agents across barriers.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2008Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Charles A. Cain, Zhen Xu, J. Brian Fowlkes, Timothy L. Hall, William W. Roberts
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Publication number: 20110054363Abstract: A medical imaging and therapy device is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the device is that it can deliver Lithotripsy therapy to a patient, so as to fractionate urinary stones. Another feature of the device is that it can deliver Histotripsy therapy to a patient, so as to erode urinary stones. In some embodiments, the medical imaging and therapy device is configured to target and track urinary stones in the patient during therapy. Methods associated with use of the medical imaging and therapy device are also covered.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventors: Charles A. Cain, Timothy L. Hall, William W. Roberts, Zhen Xu, J. Brian Fowlkes, Thomas W. Davison
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Publication number: 20110054315Abstract: A medical imaging and therapy device is provided that may include any of a number of features. One feature of the device is that it can image a target tissue volume and apply ultrasound energy to the target tissue volume. In some embodiments, the medical imaging and therapy device is configured controllably apply ultrasound energy into the prostate by maintaining a cavitational bubble cloud generated by an ultrasound therapy system within an image of the prostate generated by an imaging system. The medical imaging and therapy device can be used in therapeutic applications such as Histotripsy, Lithotripsy, and HIFU, for example. Methods associated with use of the medical imaging and therapy device are also covered.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventors: WILLIAM W. ROBERTS, Timothy L. Hall, Charles A. Cain, J. Brian Fowlkes, Zhen Xu, Michael Thomas Kusner, JR., Dejan Teofilovic
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Publication number: 20100069797Abstract: Therapy methods using pulsed cavitational ultrasound therapy can include the subprocesses of initiation, maintenance, therapy, and feedback of the histotripsy process, which involves the creation and maintenance of ensembles of microbubbles and the use of feedback in order to optimize the process based on observed spatial-temporal bubble cloud dynamics. The methods provide for the subdivision or erosion of tissue, liquification of tissue, and the enhanced delivery of therapeutic agents. Various feedback mechanisms allow variation of ultrasound parameters and provide control over the pulsed cavitational process, permitting the process to be tuned for a number of applications. Such applications can include specific tissue erosion, bulk tissue homogenization, and delivery of therapeutic agents across barriers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2009Publication date: March 18, 2010Inventors: Charles A. Cain, J. Brian Fowlkes, Zhen Xu, Timothy L. Hall
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Publication number: 20080319356Abstract: Therapy methods using pulsed cavitational ultrasound therapy can include the subprocesses of initiation, maintenance, therapy, and feedback of the histotripsy process, which involves the creation and maintenance of ensembles of microbubbles and the use of feedback in order to optimize the process based on observed spatial-temporal bubble cloud dynamics. The methods provide for the subdivision or erosion of tissue, liquification of tissue, and/or the enhanced delivery of therapeutic agents. Various feedback mechanisms allow variation of ultrasound parameters and provide control over the pulsed cavitational process, permitting the process to be tuned for a number of applications. Such applications can include specific tissue erosion, bulk tissue homogenization, and delivery of therapeutic agents across barriers.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2008Publication date: December 25, 2008Inventors: CHARLES A. CAIN, Zhen Xu, J. Brian Fowlkes, Timothy L. Hall, William W. Roberts
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Publication number: 20080287799Abstract: An ultrasound system comprises an ultrasound probe, a user interface and a processor. The ultrasound probe comprises a transducer face emitting ultrasound beams into a patient. The probe acquires a volume of ultrasound data comprising a blood vessel. The user interface defines a surface on an image that is based on the volume. The surface bisects the blood vessel and further comprises a plurality of points where at least some of the points are located at unequal distances with respect to the transducer face. The processor is configured to steer a subset of the ultrasound beams to intersect the surface at a 90 degree angle and calculate volumetric flow information through the blood vessel based on the ultrasound data corresponding to the surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2007Publication date: November 20, 2008Inventors: Anne Lindsay Hall, Jonathan Matthews Rubin, J. Brian Fowlkes, Oliver Daniel Kripfgans, Paul L. Carson
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Patent number: 7154987Abstract: An x-ray CT system performs a scan by acquiring projection views from which an image is reconstructed. In a prospective embodiment, the correlation of adjacent views is calculated as the scan is performed and is used to detect subject motion as the scan is being performed. In a retrospective embodiment, the correlation of adjacent views is calculated and is used to detect subject motion after the scan is completed. In the first embodiment substitute projection views are acquired by continuing the scan and in the second embodiment redundant projection views acquired during the scan are substituted until the best possible image is produced.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2005Date of Patent: December 26, 2006Assignee: The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Jonathan M. Rubin, Benoit Desjardins, J. Brian Fowlkes, Srini Tridandapani
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Patent number: 6413216Abstract: A method and assembly are provided which use cavitation induced by an ultrasound beam for creating a controlled surgical lesion in a selected treatment volume of a patient, such as an internal body cavity or organ. First, a plurality of microbubbles are provided in the treatment volume. Preferably, the threshold for cavitation of microbubbles in the treatment volume is lowered compared with the threshold for cavitation in surrounding tissues. The expected location of the surgical lesion within the treatment volume may be previewed, and then the microbubbles in the treatment volume are cavitated with the ultrasound beam to create the controlled surgical lesion. In addition, substances can be associated with the microbubbles such that cavitation of the microbubbles delivers the substances to the treatment volume. Preferably, the creation of the surgical lesion at the expected lesion location is then verified.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1999Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Assignee: The Regents of the University of MichiganInventors: Charles A. Cain, J. Brian Fowlkes