Abstract: A blood clot obstruction of a coronary artery causing myocardial infarction is treated by sonothrombolysis by transmitted therapeutic ultrasound to the coronary artery in synchronism with the heart cycle. Therapeutic transmission may be at the same phase of consecutive or non-consecutive heart cycles. To allow for microbubble replenishment, two or more different patterns of therapeutic energy may be used. A coronary artery and its downstream microvasculature may be treated at the same time by using different heart cycle timing or different beam patterns or both for the two therapeutic sites.

Abstract: An ECG system acquires ECG signals for the production of ECG lead data which is analyzed for ST elevation characteristics. The ST elevation information is further analyzed to identify a coronary artery or region of the myocardium which may be affected by an obstruction or occlusion. The identity of an obstructed coronary artery or affected myocardium is related to a spatial location in an ultrasound image of the heart to target an ultrasound probe at the coronary artery or myocardial region which may be obstructed or affected by an obstruction. Sonoreperfusion is then performed at the coronary artery or myocardial region targeted by the ultrasound probe.

Abstract: Ultrasonic sonothrombolysis systems to produce two acoustic pressure levels of insonation during stroke therapy, mid/high acoustic pressure insonation directed to the site of a blood clot where microbubbles are present to induce microbubble-mediated blood clot lysis, and low acoustic insonation directed to the region surrounding the site of the blood clot where microbubbles are present to stimulate microvascular reperfusion of the surrounding tissue. The systems simultaneously produce blood clot lysis at the site of an occlusion and stimulate reperfusion of tissue affected by the occlusion.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is described which utilizes one or more transducer arrays affixed to the head of a patient to diagnose and treat stroke victims. The transducer headset produces a two or three dimensional image of the vasculature inside the cranium, preferably assisted by a microbubble contrast agent. A vascular flow map is produced by the system which may be diagnosed for signs of a blood clot. If a blood clot is detected, a therapeutic beam is transmitted while the contrast agent is present to break up the blood clot by the disruption of microbubbles. The headset may also be used in a monitoring application to detect the recurrence of blood clots in a stroke victim.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is described which utilizes one or more transducer arrays affixed to the head of a patient to diagnose and treat stroke victims. The transducer headset produces a two or three dimensional image of the vasculature inside the cranium, preferably assisted by a microbubble contrast agent. A vascular flow map is produced by the system which may be diagnosed for signs of a blood clot. If a blood clot is detected, a therapeutic beam is transmitted while the contrast agent is present to break up the blood clot by the disruption of microbubbles. The headset may also be used in a monitoring application to detect the recurrence of blood clots in a stroke victim.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system and method are described which produce tissue harmonic images containing both fundamental and harmonic frequency components. Such a blended image takes advantage of the performance possible with the two types of ultrasonic echo information and can advantageously reduce near field clutter while improving signal to noise performance in the far field of the image.