Abstract: A method and system for treating a desired volume of tissue using HIFU or other energy modality includes ablating a pattern of elemental treatment volumes each having a volume that is greater than that of the focal zone of the HIFU transducer but smaller than the overall volume of the desired treatment volume. In at least one embodiment, the elemental treatment volumes are arranged to form a shell which partially or wholly encapsulates the desired volume of tissue, which then necroses in situ. The elemental treatment volumes are created by distributing HIFU energy in multiple doses with repeated passes of the focal zone of the HIFU transducer in a trajectory over or along a perimeter of each elemental treatment volume.

Abstract: A method and system for treating a desired volume of tissue using HIFU or other energy modality includes ablating a pattern of elemental treatment volumes each having a volume that is greater than that of the focal zone of the HIFU transducer but smaller than the overall volume of the desired treatment volume. In at least one embodiment, the elemental treatment volumes are arranged to form a shell which partially or wholly encapsulates the desired volume of tissue, which then necroses in situ. The elemental treatment volumes are created by distributing HIFU energy in multiple doses with repeated passes of the focal zone of the HIFU transducer in a trajectory over or along a perimeter of each elemental treatment volume.

Abstract: A system and method for providing real-time, image-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) targeting and treatment of tissue. In one embodiment, the system includes an HIFU applicator and a user interface with a touchscreen display for three-dimensional visualization of the tissue. Image frames displayed on the user interface depict real-time images of the tissue, including an image parallel to a feature of the applicator and an image orthogonal to the parallel image. Reference lines may be sketched using the touchscreen and displayed on the image frames. In one embodiment, tissue boundaries are detected and marked on the image frames, either by the user or automatically by the system. In another embodiment, the user interface includes a footswitch for the user to interact with the system. In another embodiment, the system includes an ultrasound imaging component configured to undock from the system for use as a stand-alone ultrasound imaging device.

Abstract: A method and system for treating a desired volume of tissue using HIFU or other energy modality includes ablating a pattern of elemental treatment volumes each having a volume that is greater than that of the focal zone of the HIFU transducer but smaller than the overall volume of the desired treatment volume. In at least one embodiment, the elemental treatment volumes are arranged to form a shell which partially or wholly encapsulates the desired volume of tissue, which then necroses in situ. The elemental treatment volumes are created by distributing HIFU energy in multiple doses with repeated passes of the focal zone of the HIFU transducer in a trajectory over or along a perimeter of each elemental treatment volume.

Abstract: A method for treating a desired volume of tissue using HIFU or other energy modality to ablate a pattern of elemental treatment volumes each having a volume that is greater than that of the focal zone of the HIFU transducer but smaller than the overall volume of the desired treatment volume. In one embodiment, the pattern of elemental treatment volumes are arranged to form a shell which partially or wholly encapsulates the desired volume of tissue, which then necroses in situ due to effects other than direct HIFU damage (including some combination of ischemia, thermal conduction, inflammation, apoptosis, etc.). The necrosed tissue remains in the body and is subsequently resorbed and/or healed via normal body mechanisms.

Abstract: A method for treating a desired volume of tissue using HIFU or other energy modality to ablate a pattern of elemental treatment volumes each having a volume that is greater than that of the focal zone of the HIFU transducer but smaller than the overall volume of the desired treatment volume. In one embodiment, the pattern of elemental treatment volumes are arranged to form a shell which partially or wholly encapsulates the desired volume of tissue, which then necroses in situ due to effects other than direct HIFU damage (including some combination of ischemia, thermal conduction, inflammation, apoptosis, etc.). The necrosed tissue remains in the body and is subsequently resorbed and/or healed via normal body mechanisms.

Abstract: A system and method for providing real-time, image-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) targeting and treatment of tissue. In one embodiment, the system includes an HIFU applicator and a user interface with a touchscreen display for three-dimensional visualization of the tissue. Image frames displayed on the user interface depict real-time images of the tissue, including an image parallel to a feature of the applicator and an image orthogonal to the parallel image. Reference lines may be sketched using the touchscreen and displayed on the image frames. In one embodiment, tissue boundaries are detected and marked on the image frames, either by the user or automatically by the system. In another embodiment, the user interface includes a footswitch for the user to interact with the system. In another embodiment, the system includes an ultrasound imaging component configured to undock from the system for use as a stand-alone ultrasound imaging device.

Abstract: HIFU therapy to a desired tissue site is controlled based on detected changes in one or more characteristics of a received backscatter signal resulting from exposure of the tissue to HIFU or other interrogation signals. In one embodiment, the bloom of backscatter signals outward from a treatment region (e.g., towards the HIFU transducer) is detected and monitored. Once the bloom reaches a predetermined location, treatment is stopped. Other signal characteristics such as angular distribution of frequency components in the backscatter signal, changes in reflection, power required to saturate a tissue characteristic, changes in attenuation and changes in a cumulative energy distribution function of the backscatter signal that change as a result of the application of HIFU power are also used to control the delivery of HIFU signals in accordance with other embodiments of the disclosed technology.

Abstract: A method for treating a desired volume of tissue using HIFU or other energy modality to ablate a pattern of elemental treatment volumes each having a volume that is greater than that of the focal zone of the HIFU transducer but smaller than the overall volume of the desired treatment volume. In one embodiment, the pattern of elemental treatment volumes are arranged to form a shell which partially or wholly encapsulates the desired volume of tissue, which then necroses in situ due to effects other than direct HIFU damage (including some combination of ischemia, thermal conduction, inflammation, apoptosis, etc.). The necrosed tissue remains in the body and is subsequently resorbed and/or healed via normal body mechanisms.

Abstract: A method for treating a desired volume of tissue using HIFU or other energy modality to ablate a pattern of elemental treatment volumes each having a volume that is greater than that of the focal zone of the HIFU transducer but smaller than the overall volume of the desired treatment volume. In one embodiment, the pattern of elemental treatment volumes are arranged to form a shell which partially or wholly encapsulates the desired volume of tissue, which then necroses in situ due to effects other than direct HIFU damage (including some combination of ischemia, thermal conduction, inflammation, apoptosis, etc.). The necrosed tissue remains in the body and is subsequently resorbed and/or healed via normal body mechanisms.

Abstract: HIFU therapy to a desired tissue site is controlled based on detected changes in one or more characteristics of a received backscatter signal resulting from exposure of the tissue to HIFU or other interrogation signals. In one embodiment, the bloom of backscatter signals outward from a treatment region (e.g., towards the HIFU transducer) is detected and monitored. Once the bloom reaches a predetermined location, treatment is stopped. Other signal characteristics such as angular distribution of frequency components in the backscatter signal, changes in reflection, power required to saturate a tissue characteristic, changes in attenuation and changes in a cumulative energy distribution function of the backscatter signal that change as a result of the application of HIFU power are also used to control the delivery of HIFU signals in accordance with other embodiments of the disclosed technology.