Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include improved radiofrequency (RF) pulse amplifier systems that incorporate an energy array comprising multiple capacitors connected in parallel. The energy array extends the maximum length of pulses and the maximum achievable peak power output of the amplifier when compared to similar systems. Embodiments also include systems comprising the amplifier configured to drive a load, wherein the load may include one or more ultrasound (e.g., piezoelectric) transducers Related methods of using the amplifier are also provided.

Abstract: A method includes transmitting a focused ultrasound wave into a medium to form (i) an ultrasound intensity well within the medium that exhibits a first range of acoustic pressure and (ii) a surrounding region of the medium that surrounds the ultrasound intensity well and exhibits a second range of acoustic pressure that exceeds the first range of acoustic pressure. The method further includes confining an object within the ultrasound intensity well. Additionally, an acoustic lens is configured to be acoustically coupled to an acoustic transducer. The acoustic lens has a varying longitudinal thickness that increases proportionally with respect to increasing azimuth angle of the acoustic lens. Another acoustic lens is configured to be acoustically coupled to an acoustic that increases proportionally with respect to increasing azimuth angle of the segment.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are ultrasonic probes and systems incorporating the probes. The probes are configured to produce an ultrasonic therapy exposure that, when applied to a kidney stone, will exert an acoustic radiation force sufficient to produce ultrasonic propulsion. Unlike previous probes configured to produce ultrasonic propulsion, however, the disclosed probes are engineered to produce a relatively large (both wide and long) therapy region effective to produce ultrasonic propulsion. This large therapy region allows the probe to move a plurality of kidney stones (or fragments from lithotripsy) in parallel, thereby providing the user the ability to clear several stones from an area simultaneously. This “broadly focused” probe is, in certain embodiments, combined in a single handheld unit with a typical ultrasound imaging probe to produce real-time imaging. Methods of using the probes and systems to move kidney stones are also provided.

Abstract: A method for imaging a cavitation bubble includes producing a vibratory wave that induces a cavitation bubble in a medium, producing one or more detection waves directed toward the induced cavitation bubble, receiving one or more reflection waves, identifying a change in one or more characteristics of the induced cavitation bubble, and generating an image of the induced cavitation bubble using a computing device on the basis of the identified change in the one or more characteristics. The one or more received reflection waves correspond to at least one of the one or more produced detection waves reflection from the induced cavitation bubble. The identified change in one or more characteristics corresponds to the one or more received reflection waves.

Abstract: Methods and systems for non-invasive treatment of tissue using high intensity focused ultrasound (“HIFU”) therapy. A method of non-invasively treating tissue in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology, for example, can include positioning a focal plane of an ultrasound source at a target site in tissue. The ultrasound source can be configured to emit HIFU waves. The method can further include pulsing ultrasound energy from the ultrasound source toward the target site, and generating shock waves in the tissue to induce boiling of the tissue at the target site within milliseconds. The boiling of the tissue at least substantially emulsifies the tissue.

Abstract: An example method includes generating an acoustic ultrasound wave that is focused at a focal point. The method further includes sequentially directing the focal point upon distinct portions of an object to form respective shock waves at the distinct portions of the object. The method further includes, via the respective shock waves, causing the distinct portions of the object to boil and form respective vapor cavities. The method further includes causing substantially uniform ablation of a region of the object that comprises the distinct portions. The substantially uniform ablation is caused via interaction of the respective shock waves with the respective vapor cavities. An example ablation system and an example non-transitory computer-readable medium, both related to the example method, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and systems for selectively disrupting tissue using high intensity focused ultrasound (“HIFU”) therapy are disclosed herein. A method of treating tissue in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology can include, for example, pulsing HIFU waves from an ultrasound source toward a volume of tissue that includes an extracellular matrix (“ECM”) and generating, from nonlinear propagation of the HIFU waves, shock waves in the tissue to induce boiling in the volume of the tissue. The method can further include lysing cells in the volume of tissue while leaving the ECM at least substantially intact. The emulsification of cells can be to a sufficient degree to decellularize the tissue and form a decellularized scaffold for subsequent tissue growth.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include improved radiofrequency (RF) pulse amplifier systems that incorporate an energy array comprising multiple capacitors connected in parallel. The energy array extends the maximum length of pulses and the maximum achievable peak power output of the amplifier when compared to similar systems. Embodiments also include systems comprising the amplifier configured to drive a load, wherein the load may include one or more ultrasound (e.g., piezoelectric) transducers Related methods of using the amplifier are also provided.

Abstract: The present technology relates generally to portable acoustic holography systems for therapeutic ultrasound sources, and associated devices and methods. In some embodiments, a method of characterizing an ultrasound source by acoustic holography includes the use of a transducer geometry characteristic, a transducer operation characteristic, and a holography system measurement characteristic. A control computer can be instructed to determine holography measurement parameters. Based on the holography measurement parameters, the method can include scanning a target surface to obtain a hologram. Waveform measurements at a plurality of points on the target surface can be captured. Finally, the method can include processing the measurements to reconstruct at least one characteristic of the ultrasound source.

Abstract: The present technology is directed to methods of soft tissue emulsification using a mechanism of ultrasonic atomization inside gas or vapor cavities, and associated systems and devices. In several embodiments, for example, a method of non-invasively treating tissue includes pulsing ultrasound energy from the ultrasound source toward the target site in tissue. The ultrasound source is configured to emit high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) waves. The target site comprises a pressure-release interface of a gas or vapor cavity located within the tissue. The method continues by generating shock waves in the tissue to induce a lesion in the tissue at the target site. The method additionally includes characterizing the lesion based on a degree of at least one of a mechanical or thermal ablation of the tissue.

Abstract: High intensity ultrasound (HIU) is used to facilitate surgical procedures, such as a laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, with minimal bleeding. An apparatus is configured to emit HIU from one or more transducers that are attached to a minimally invasive surgical instrument. Such a tool preferably can provide sufficient clamping pressure to collapse blood vessels' walls, so that they will be sealed by the application of the HIU, and by the resulting thermal ablation and tissue cauterization. Such an instrument can provide feedback to the user that the lesion is completely transmural and that blood flow to the region distal of the line of thermal ablation has ceased. Similar instruments having opposed arms can be configured for use in conventional surgical applications as well. Instruments can be implemented with transducers on only one arm, and an ultrasound reflective material disposed on the other arm.

Abstract: A system and method for determining, via ultrasound, a size of a concretion in a subject are provided. One or more ultrasound pulses are transmitted into a tissue in the subject, which are then reflected from the tissue and received by the ultrasound transducer. A shadow region obscured by the concretion that does not provide reflected signals is generated, and the width of the shadow region is measured. The width of the object is determined based on the width of the shadow region.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting, via ultrasound, a concretion in a subject are provided. One or more ultrasound pulses are transmitted into the concretion and at least one object of interest, such as a bubble, present in the concretion. Reflection signals from the concretion and the bubble are then contrasted using the twinkling artifact, and a filter removes motion signals. An output device, such as a display, provides an indication of the presence of the concretion based on the reflection signals.

Abstract: The present technology relates generally to surgical devices for male circumcision and associated systems and methods. In some embodiments, a circumcision device configured in accordance with the technology comprises an outer member configured to be positioned along an exterior portion of a prepuce adjacent a glans of a penis of a human patient. The outer member may include an open-ended band moveable between an unlocked position and a plurality of locked positions. The band includes circumferentially overlapping first and second ends in each of the locked positions, and defines a closed space having a different fixed diameter in each of the locked positions. The device can also include a cylindrical inner member configured to be positioned within the band of the outer member and adjacent an inner portion of the prepuce.

Abstract: Methods and systems for non-invasive treatment of tissue using high intensity focused ultrasound (“HIFU”) therapy. A method of non-invasively treating tissue in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology, for example, can include positioning a focal plane of an ultrasound source at a target site in tissue. The ultrasound source can be configured to emit HIFU waves. The method can further include pulsing ultrasound energy from the ultrasound source toward the target site, and generating shock waves in the tissue to induce boiling of the tissue at the target site within milliseconds. The boiling of the tissue at least substantially emulsifies the tissue.

Abstract: Methods and systems for non-invasive treatment of tissue using high intensity focused ultrasound (“HIFU”) therapy. A method of non-invasively treating tissue in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology, for example, can include positioning a focal plane of an ultrasound source at a target site in tissue. The ultrasound source can be configured to emit HIFU waves. The method can further include pulsing ultrasound energy from the ultrasound source toward the target site, and generating shock waves in the tissue to induce boiling of the tissue at the target site within milliseconds. The boiling of the tissue at least substantially emulsifies the tissue.

Abstract: Methods of derating a nonlinear ultrasound field and associated systems are disclosed herein. A method of derating a nonlinear ultrasound field in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology can include, for example, calibrating an ultrasound source to a first source voltage (Vw) and generating a nonlinear acoustic wave from the ultrasound source into water. The method can further include measuring a focal waveform of the nonlinear acoustic wave and determining a second source voltage (Vt) of the ultrasound source that generates the same focal waveform in tissue.

Abstract: The present technology relates generally to portable acoustic holography systems for therapeutic ultrasound sources, and associated devices and methods. In some embodiments, a method of characterizing an ultrasound source by acoustic holography includes the use of a transducer geometry characteristic, a transducer operation characteristic, and a holography system measurement characteristic. A control computer can be instructed to determine holography measurement parameters. Based on the holography measurement parameters, the method can include scanning a target surface to obtain a hologram. Waveform measurements at a plurality of points on the target surface can be captured. Finally, the method can include processing the measurements to reconstruct at least one characteristic of the ultrasound source.

Abstract: The present technology is directed to methods for characterizing nonlinear ultrasound fields and associated systems and devices. In several embodiments, for example, a method of calculating output of a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) device comprises treating a target site with a multi-element HIFU array. In some embodiments, the array comprises a generally spherical segment. The method can further include simulating a field of the array by setting a boundary condition for the array. The boundary condition can be set by simplifying at least one geometrical aspect of the generally spherical segment.

Abstract: The present technology is directed to methods of soft tissue emulsification using a mechanism of ultrasonic atomization inside gas or vapor cavities, and associated systems and devices. In several embodiments, for example, a method of non-invasively treating tissue includes pulsing ultrasound energy from the ultrasound source toward the target site in tissue. The ultrasound source is configured to emit high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) waves. The target site comprises a pressure-release interface of a gas or vapor cavity located within the tissue. The method continues by generating shock waves in the tissue to induce a lesion in the tissue at the target site. The method additionally includes characterizing the lesion based on a degree of at least one of a mechanical or thermal ablation of the tissue.