Abstract: The invention provides for a medical apparatus (200, 400, 500) comprising a high intensity focused ultrasound system (206). Machine executable instructions (260, 262, 264, 266, 408, 526) in a memory (250) cause a processor (244) to: receive (100) location data (252) descriptive of multiple sonication points (224, 226, 228, 230); determine (102) a sonication path (254) for each of the multiple sonication points using a geometric transducer element model (262); detect (104) an overlap region (256, 306) using the sonication path in the near field region; determine (106) transducer control commands (258) using the overlap region, wherein the transducer commands are operable to control the multiple transducer elements to reduce the deposition of ultrasonic energy in the overlap region during sonication of the two or more sonication points; and control (108) the high intensity focused ultrasound system using the transducer control commands.

Abstract: A medical apparatus (300, 400, 500, 600) comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system (302). The medical apparatus further comprises a heating system (320, 502, 601) operable for heating a target zone (321) and a processor (326). Execution of machine readable instructions causes the processor to receive (100, 200, 700, 800) a treatment plan (340). Execution of the instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly: control (102, 204, 704, 804, 900, 1002) the heating system, using the treatment plan, to heat the target zone during alternating heating periods and cooling periods; acquire (104, 208, 702, 706, 802, 806, 902, 906, 1000, 1004) magnetic resonance data using the magnetic resonance imaging system, and modify (110, 214, 712, 812, 1008) the treatment plan using the magnetic resonance data. The instructions cause the processor to acquire the magnetic resonance data during a cooling period selected from at least one of the cooling periods.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for heating a target zone (3) of a subject of interest (1) according to pre-defined heating requirements using ultrasonic irradiation, comprising the steps of providing an ultrasonic irradiation device comprising a set of individually controllable transducer elements in vicinity of the target zone (3), defining at least one sensitive zone (2) within an area (4) covered by ultrasonic irradiation device, and controlling the ultrasonic irradiation device to apply sonications of ultrasonic energy to the target zone (3) to achieve the desired heating thereof, wherein the transducer elements are individually controlled in phase and amplitude to provide the sonications as a beam (5) directed towards the target zone (3), wherein the beam (5) has a energy distribution so that the pre-defined heating requirements of the target zone (3) are met and the exposure of the at least one sensitive zone (2) is minimized The present invention further provides an ultrasonic irradiation devi

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical apparatus (500, 700, 800) comprising a high intensity focused ultrasound system (506). The medical apparatus further comprises a memory (550) for storing machine executable instructions (560, 562) for execution by a processor (544). Execution of the instructions cause the processor to: receive (100, 200, 304) previous sonication data (522) descriptive of a previous sonication of the subject; construct (102, 202, 306) a thermal property map (554) of the subject using the previous sonication data and a thermoacoustic model (562); determine (104, 204, 308) a maximum energy map (556) using the thermoacoustic model and the thermal property map, wherein the maximum energy is time dependent; display (106, 206, 310) the maximum energy map on a display (672); and receive (108, 208, 312) a selection of at least one thermoacoustic model and thermal property map sonication volume (580, 582) from a user interface (570).

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical apparatus (200, 400, 500) comprising a high intensity focused ultrasound system (206). Machine executable instructions (260, 262, 264, 266, 408, 526) in a memory (250) cause a processor (244) to: receive (100) location data (252) descriptive of multiple sonication points (224, 226, 228, 230); determine (102) a sonication path (254) for each of the multiple sonication points using a geometric transducer element model (262);detect (104) an overlap region (256, 306) using the sonication path in the near field region;determine (106) transducer control commands (258) using the overlap region, wherein the transducer commands are operable to control the multiple transducer elements to reduce the deposition of ultrasonic energy in the overlap region during sonication of the two or more sonication points; and control (108)the high intensity focused ultrasound system using the transducer control commands.

Abstract: A medical apparatus (300, 400, 500, 600) comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system (302). The medical apparatus further comprises a heating system (320, 502, 601) operable for heating a target zone (321) and a processor (326). Execution of machine readable instructions causes the processor to receive (100, 200, 700, 800) a treatment plan (340). Execution of the instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly: control (102, 204, 704, 804, 900, 1002) the heating system, using the treatment plan, to heat the target zone during alternating heating periods and cooling periods; acquire (104, 208, 702, 706, 802, 806, 902, 906, 1000, 1004) magnetic resonance data using the magnetic resonance imaging system, and modify (110, 214, 712, 812, 1008) the treatment plan using the magnetic resonance data. The instructions cause the processor to acquire the magnetic resonance data during a cooling period selected from at least one of the cooling periods.