Abstract: An apparatus for cooling certain tissues in the vicinity of diseased or other tissue undergoing thermal treatment is disclosed. The present apparatus is configured and designed to have certain physical characteristics, e.g., certain acoustic and imaging responses. In some embodiments the present apparatus is compatible with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environments used in conjunction with the thermal treatment, or other imaging environments. In some embodiments the present apparatus is detectable by said MRI and is within the imaging field of view (FOV) but causes few or no imaging artifacts. Additionally, the present apparatus does not substantially interfere with the thermal treatment, e.g., ultrasonic therapy, which can proceed to heat the targeted volume of tissue while protective cooling of tissues near the diseased tissue by the present apparatus takes place.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an imaging-compatible device for insertion into a region of tissue under image guidance, which employs ultrasound energy for the generation of thermal lesions. Coagulation can be confined to particular sectors in tissue through rotational control of the device. The depth of coagulation can be controlled through simultaneous modulation of the operating frequencies and powers. Described is a device which comprises a transducer located within a housing suitable for tissue insertion. The transducer comprises at least one piezoceramic element with at least one acoustic matching layer comprising a high acoustic impedance material for generating acoustic energy in narrow passbands around multiple resonant frequencies with high acoustic efficiency. The magnitude and frequency of the electrical power delivered to each element can be manipulated simultaneously providing control over the 3-dimensional shape of the thermal lesion created in tissue.

Abstract: An eye exercising device is disclosed having a positioning product to position the eye along an optical axis, which defines a range of accommodation for the eye. The range of accommodation is bounded by a proximal and a distal limit. An object is movable along the optical path and a displacement device is provided to displace continuously the object along the optical path from a first location on one side of a given one of the limits to a second location on another side of the given limit opposite the first location.