Abstract: There is provided a method comprising: receiving a graph comprising nodes with directional edges each associated with a variable weight representing an interaction strength of the respective direction edge adjustable according to a respective range; calculating a current global value defined by a function of the variable weights of the directional edges; calculating a mismatch between the current global value and a desired global value, wherein multiple different combinations of assigned variable weights of the directional edges are associated with the desired global value within the tolerance requirement; determining when the mismatch is within a tolerance requirement representing desired global values; and one of: randomly adjusting the variable weights of the directional edges within the respective range, and iterating the calculating the mismatch and determining when the mismatch is not within the tolerance requirement, and outputting determined values for the variable weights when the mismatch is within

Abstract: A thermal treatment system including a heat applying element for generating thermal doses for ablating a target mass in a patient, a controller for controlling thermal dose properties of the heat applying element, an imager for providing preliminary images of the target mass and thermal images during the treatment, and a planner for automatically constructing a treatment plan, comprising a series of treatment sites that are each represented by a set of thermal dose properties. The planner automatically constructs the treatment plan based on input information including one or more of a volume of the target mass, a distance from a skin surface of the patient to the target mass, a set of default thermal dose prediction properties, a set of user specified thermal dose prediction properties, physical properties of the heat applying elements, and images provided by the imager.

Abstract: A focused ultrasound system includes a plurality of transducer elements disposed about and having an angular position with a central axis. Drive signals drive respective transducer elements that include phase shift values based upon the angular position of each respective transducer element. The phase shift values are based upon an oscillation function that oscillates about the central axis between minimal and maximal phase shift values such that a first on-axis focal zone and a second off-axis focal zone are created. An amplitude and frequency of the oscillation function are controlled to adjust relative acoustic energy levels of the first and second focal zones, and to adjust a radius of the second focal zone, respectively. In addition, the drive signals include an additional predetermined phase shift based upon a radial position of each respective transducer element to adjust a focal distance of the focal zones.

Abstract: System and methods for performing a therapeutic procedure using focused ultrasound include providing a piezoelectric transducer including a plurality of transducer elements, such as a concave concentric ring array or a liner array of transducer elements. Drive circuitry is coupled to the transducer for providing drive signals to the transducer elements at one of a plurality of discrete RF frequencies. A controller is coupled to the drive circuitry for periodically changing a frequency of the drive signals to one of the plurality of discrete frequencies, while controlling a phase component of the drive signals to maintain the focus of the transducer at a primary focal zone during a single sonication.

Abstract: A thermal treatment system including a heat applying element for generating thermal doses for ablating a target mass in a patient, a controller for controlling thermal dose properties of the heat applying element, an imager for providing preliminary images of the target mass and thermal images during the treatment, and a planner for automatically constructing a treatment plan, comprising a series of treatment sites that are each represented by a set of thermal dose properties. The planner automatically constructs the treatment plan based on input information including one or more of a volume of the target mass, a distance from a skin surface of the patient to the target mass, a set of default thermal dose prediction properties, a set of user specified thermal dose prediction properties, physical properties of the heat applying elements, and images provided by the imager.