Abstract: An ultrasound probe including an active thermal management system is disclosed. The active thermal management system may include a fluid chamber coupled to a transducer assembly of the ultrasound probe. The fluid chamber may include a coolant that may dissipate heat from the transducer assembly. The active thermal management system may further include a heat sink coupled to the fluid chamber and thermal management system. The heat sink may include fins that extend into the coolant. The coolant may be a liquid or a gas. The coolant may be circulated within the fluid chamber by a circulation device. The circulation device may be a pump, a fan, or an impeller. An ultrasound probe may further include a window that forms an enclosure over the lens of the transducer assembly. The enclosure may be fluidly coupled to the fluid chamber and filled with coolant to dissipate heat from the lens.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for dissipating heat from an ultrasound transducer are disclosed. A passive thermal management system including thermally conductive materials is disclosed. The passive thermal management system may include thermally conductive layers in a flexible circuit coupled to the transducer stack. The flexible circuit may be coupled to a thermally conductive bolster plate. The bolster plate may be coupled to a handle heat spreader that may be coupled to the interior surface of an ultrasound probe housing.

Abstract: A curved high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a curved piezoelectric array having opposite convex and concave surfaces, the concave surface being a transmitting surface, and a plurality of acoustic transmission areas, a plurality of electrodes located on the surfaces of the curved piezoelectric array for applying electrical transmit signals to the acoustic transmission areas, and a unitary, continuously formed curved matching layer pre-formed to the desired curvature of the curved transducer array and bonded to the transmitting surface of the curved piezoelectric array which provides acoustic matching and electrical isolation for the transmitting surface of the curved piezoelectric array.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses for dissipating heat from an ultrasound transducer are disclosed. A passive thermal management system including thermally conductive materials is disclosed. The passive thermal management system may include thermally conductive layers in a flexible circuit coupled to the transducer stack. The flexible circuit may be coupled to a thermally conductive bolster plate. The bolster plate may be coupled to a handle heat spreader that may be coupled to the interior surface of an ultrasound probe housing.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe including an active thermal management system is disclosed. The active thermal management system may include a fluid chamber coupled to a transducer assembly of the ultrasound probe. The fluid chamber may include a coolant that may dissipate heat from the transducer assembly. The active thermal management system may further include a heat sink coupled to the fluid chamber and thermal management system. The heat sink may include fins that extend into the coolant. The coolant may be a liquid or a gas. The coolant may be circulated within the fluid chamber by a circulation device. The circulation device may be a pump, a fan, or an impeller. An ultrasound probe may further include a window that forms an enclosure over the lens of the transducer assembly. The enclosure may be fluidly coupled to the fluid chamber and filled with coolant to dissipate heat from the lens.

Abstract: A curved high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a curved piezoelectric array having opposite concave front and convex back surfaces, and a plurality of acoustic transmission areas, a plurality of electrodes located on the convex back surface of the curved piezoelectric array for applying electrical transmit signals to the acoustic transmission areas, and a printed circuit board spaced apart from and in opposition to the back surface of the curved piezoelectric array which couples electrical signals to the acoustic transmission areas, the printed circuit board comprising a plurality of metal contacts which are compliant in the presence of thermal expansion and contraction and which span the space between the printed circuit board and the curved piezoelectric array and are electrically coupled to electrodes of the acoustic transmission areas of the curved piezoelectric array.

Abstract: A curved high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a curved piezoelectric array having opposite convex and concave back surfaces, the front surface comprising an acoustic transmitting surface, and a plurality of electrodes located on the convex back surface for applying electrical transmit signals to the array, and a printed circuit board spaced apart from and in opposition to the back surface of the curved piezoelectric array which couples electrical signals to the electrodes of the array, the space between the printed circuit board and the curved piezoelectric array comprising an acoustic air backing passageway of the piezoelectric array for air-cooling the curved piezoelectric array and the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a piezoelectric array with a layer of piezoelectric material having a patient-facing front surface and a back surface, the front surface comprising a transmitting surface, and a plurality of electrodes located on the front and back surfaces of the piezoelectric material for applying electrical signals to the piezoelectric array. Electrical connections between an electrode on the back surface to an electrode on the front surface of the piezoelectric array are made through non-magnetic conductive vias extending through the layer of piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A stable extendable apparatus is provided which includes top, bottom, front and rear structures coupled together. The top and bottom structures each include at least one extendable member which defines a minimum length in a longitudinal retracted position and a maximum length in a longitudinal extended position. The front and rear structures each includes a first side support, a second side support, and an extendable cross-support to couple the first and second side supports together. Extension or retraction of the extendable cross-support changes an angle of orientation of the first side support relative to the second side support. The first rear side support, the second rear side support, and the extendable rear cross-support correspond to positions of the respective front supports.

Abstract: A curved high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a curved piezoelectric array having opposite concave front and convex back surfaces, and a plurality of acoustic transmission areas, a plurality of electrodes located on the convex back surface of the curved piezoelectric array for applying electrical transmit signals to the acoustic transmission areas, and a printed circuit board spaced apart from and in opposition to the back surface of the curved piezoelectric array which couples electrical signals to the acoustic transmission areas, the printed circuit board comprising a plurality of metal contacts which are compliant in the presence of thermal expansion and contraction and which span the space between the printed circuit board and the curved piezoelectric array and are electrically coupled to electrodes of the acoustic transmission areas of the curved piezoelectric array.

Abstract: A high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a piezoelectric array with a layer of piezoelectric material having a patient-facing front surface and a back surface, the front surface comprising a transmitting surface, and a plurality of electrodes located on the front and back surfaces of the piezoelectric material for applying electrical signals to the piezoelectric array. Electrical connections between an electrode on the back surface to an electrode on the front surface of the piezoelectric array are made through non-magnetic conductive vias extending through the layer of piezoelectric material.

Abstract: A curved high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a curved piezoelectric array having opposite convex and concave surfaces, the concave surface being a transmitting surface, and a plurality of acoustic transmission areas, a plurality of electrodes located on the surfaces of the curved piezoelectric array for applying electrical transmit signals to the acoustic transmission areas, and a unitary, continuously formed curved matching layer pre-formed to the desired curvature of the curved transducer array and bonded to the transmitting surface of the curved piezoelectric array which provides acoustic matching and electrical isolation for the transmitting surface of the curved piezoelectric array.

Abstract: A curved high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer comprising a curved piezoelectric array having opposite convex and concave back surfaces, the front surface comprising an acoustic transmitting surface, and a plurality of electrodes located on the convex back surface for applying electrical transmit signals to the array, and a printed circuit board spaced apart from and in opposition to the back surface of the curved piezoelectric array which couples electrical signals to the electrodes of the array, the space between the printed circuit board and the curved piezoelectric array comprising an acoustic air backing passageway of the piezoelectric array for air-cooling the curved piezoelectric array and the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A stable extendable apparatus is provided which includes top, bottom, front and rear structures coupled together. The top and bottom structures each include at least one extendable member which defines a minimum length in a longitudinal retracted position and a maximum length in a longitudinal extended position. The front and rear structures each includes a first side support, a second side support, and an extendable cross-support to couple the first and second side supports together. Extension or retraction of the extendable cross-support changes an angle of orientation of the first side support relative to the second side support. The first rear side support, the second rear side support, and the extendable rear cross-support correspond to positions of the respective front supports.