Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A method, using high intensity ultrasound, which may also be combined with a chemotherapy agent, that can result the direct destruction of tumor cells and in the reduction or elimination of local reoccurrence of cancer after removal of cancerous tissue, such as a surgical breast lumpectomy or surgical excision of a brain tumor. The method comprises either (1) the treatment of the tumor directly with High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, or (2) the treatment of the margins of the tissue surrounding the surgical cavity or void with ablative continuous wave high intensity ultrasound and a combination of a locally delivered chemotherapy agent and high intensity ultrasound, termed sonoporation.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A system and method for removing unwanted heat generated by a piezoelectric element of an ultrasound transducer. Some implementations have high thermal conductivity (HTC) material placed adjacent to the piezoelectric element. The HTC material can be thermally coupled to one or more heat sinks. Use of HTC material in conjunction with these piezoelectric element surfaces is managed to avoid degradation of propagating acoustic energy. Use of the HTC material in conjunction with heat sinks allows for creation of thermal paths away from the piezoelectric element. Active cooling of the heat sinks with water or air can further draw heat from the piezoelectric element. Further implementations form a composite matrix of thermally conductive material or interleave thermally conductive layers with piezoelectric material.

Abstract: Resculpturing or altering the shape of cardiac valve leaflets, or cusps, and/or the valve supporting structures (such as the orifice or annulus, the aortic root or aorta, or the tendons which are attached to the valve) using heat. More specifically, the invention relates to applying High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) during cardiac surgery to raise the temperature of heart valve structures comprised of or including collagen to a temperature sufficient to induce collagen change and shrinkage. The HIFU energy source (transducer) is preferably placed close to the valve structure during open heart surgery.

Abstract: A noninvasive or minimally invasive treatment of infarct areas of the heart with High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) emitted without respect to the timing or phase of the cardiac cycle, intended to remodel cardiac tissue by inducing angiogenesis and/or the formation of myocytes to improve cardiac function.

Abstract: A noninvasive or minimally invasive treatment of cardiac arrhythmia such as supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, specifically atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, by treating the tissue with heat produced by ultrasound, including High Intensity Focused Ultrasound or HIFU, emitted without respect to the timing or phase of the cardiac cycle, intended to have a biological and/or therapeutic effect, so as to interrupt or remodel the electrical substrate in the tissue area that supports arrhythmia.

Abstract: Noninvasive pain treatment of skeletal cancer metastases in cancer patients utilizing planar or focused ultrasound. The ultrasound energy preferably targets at the Periosteum or immediate soft-bone-tissue interface, where local sensory pain receptors are directly affected by the growing tumor, to generate heat to destroy local sensory pain receptors so as to interrupt or block the pain feedback pathway to the central nervous system.

Abstract: A noninvasive or minimally invasive treatment of cardiac arrhythmia such as supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, specifically atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, by treating the tissue with heat produced by ultrasound, (including High Intensity Focused Ultrasound or HIFU) intended to have a biological and/or therapeutic effect, so as to interrupt or remodel the electrical substrate in the tissue area that supports arrhythmia.

Abstract: Dual focus ultrasonic transducers are provided for a diagnostic imaging effective aspheric radiating surface. The transducers are formed of disc-shaped piezoelectric material. An annular groove separates the piezoelectric material into an inner disc region and an outer annular region for simultaneous activation or activation of the inner disc alone. The focus is changed by a reed switch connection to the two transducer regions, which permits proximity switch control of the transducer operation in a shielded environment for good noise performance.

Abstract: An ultrasound imaging apparatus and transducer means which produces a converging beam pattern focused along the axis of the transducer with increasing beam concentration towards the furthest point of convergence of the beam pattern.