Transducer placement and registration for image-guided sonothrombolysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016151618-A1
Application number	US-201414901293-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 25, 2014
Priority date	Jun 28, 2013
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus for ultrasound irradiation of a body part ( 208 ) includes a first ultrasound transducer ( 216 ), and a second ultrasound transducer ( 212 ) mounted oppositely, and is configured: a) such that at least two ultrasound receiving elements, for determining a relative orientation of the first to the second transducer, are attached to the first transducer; b) for a beam, from the first transducer, causing cavitation, and/or bubble destruction of systemically circulating microbubbles, within the body part; or c) both with the attached elements and for the causing. The apparatus registers, with said first transducer, the second transducer, by using as a reference respectively the features a) and/or b). A detachable subsystem includes either a therapy or imaging transducer, to form a combination imaging and therapy system, the subsystem being configured for removable coupling to correspondingly an imaging or therapy subsystem comprising a head frame ( 204 ) to which is mounted an imaging or therapy transducer, the imaging or therapy subsystem for registering the imaging or therapy transducer, one to the other, by the above method.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for ultrasound irradiation of a body part, said apparatus comprising:
a first ultrasound transducer and a second ultrasound transducer that, with respect to said body part, is mounted oppositely to said first transducer, said apparatus is configured: such that at least two ultrasound receiving elements, for determining a relative orientation of said first to said second transducer, are attached to said first transducer; said apparatus being further configured for registering, with said first transducer, said second transducer, by using as a reference two or more of said elements.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said first transducer is specialized for therapy, and said second transducer is specialized for imaging.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , configured such that said at least two elements are attached to said first transducer.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said first transducer is a therapy transducer to which said at least two elements are attached.

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein said first transducer has a face for acoustically interfacing with said body part, said face has a periphery, and said at least two receiving elements are disposed at said periphery.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , further configured for forming, via said second transducer, an elevational plane of an ultrasound image, from among said at least two elements there being a series of receiving elements at said periphery spaced apart from each other by respective gaps small enough such that two or more of said at least two elements are within said plane irrespective of a rotational orientation of said plane.

8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , said registering comprising, automatically and without need for user intervention, a) electronically rotating an elevational plane of an ultrasound image; and b) receiving, via said elements during said rotating, a radiofrequency signal for detection of when, during said rotating, said signal received by said elements is maximal.

9 . The apparatus of claim 4 , said registering comprising estimating, based on output of said elements, an orientation, and distance, of said first transducer with respect to said second transducer.

10 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a motorized assembly, said apparatus further configured for moving, via said assembly, said first transducer, automatically and without need for user intervention, to point in a different direction until an alignment criterion is met, based on output of said elements.

11 . The apparatus of claim 4 , further configured for three-dimensional imaging via said second transducer, said registering comprising scanning ultrasound pulses, via said second transducer, with said second transducer being held fixed in place.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , further configured for, concurrently with said scanning, operating two or more of said at least two receiving elements to receive ultrasound, said registering being based on content of said received ultrasound.

13 . The apparatus of claim 4 , said registering comprising focusing, via said second transducer, on a specific target within said body part and using two or more of said at least two receiving elements for detecting side scattering from said target.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further configured for said beam causing said cavitation and/or bubble destruction, said apparatus being configured for said registering using correspondingly said cavitation and/or said destruction.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , said registering comprising scanning via said first transducer, with said second transducer being held fixed in place.

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , said registering comprising:
scanning, via said first transducer, for said causing; and, using, in conjunction with said scanning, said second transducer to monitor an outcome of said causing.

17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , further configured for, automatically and without need for user intervention, scanning, via said first transducer, until, based on imaging via said second transducer, it is determined that a current direction of said scanning brings the transducers into registration.

18 . The apparatus of claim 1 , said body part being a head of a human or of an animal, said apparatus further comprising a wearable head frame configured for the mounting of both transducers, said apparatus configured for said registering while said head frame is worn on said head.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said second transducer is movably mounted to said head frame, and said registering comprises fixing said second transducer in place in said head frame.

20 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said first transducer is movably mounted to a head frame, said apparatus being configured for mechanical movement of said first transducer to, in performance of said registering, scan a volume within said body part.

21 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a display, said apparatus further configured for imaging said body part via said second transducer and for displaying, via said display, an image of said body part.

22 . A computer readable medium embodying a computer program for ultrasound irradiation of a body part via an apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
a first ultrasound transducer and a second ultrasound transducer that, with respect to said body part, is mounted oppositely to said first transducer, said apparatus is configured: such that at least two ultrasound receiving elements, for determining a relative orientation of said first to said second transducer, are attached to said first transducer; said program having instructions executable by a processor for performing a plurality of acts, among said acts there being the act of: registering, with said first transducer, said second transducer, by using as a reference two or more of said elements.

23 . A detachable ultrasound subsystem comprising:
either an ultrasound therapy transducer or an ultrasound imaging transducer, to form a combination imaging and therapy system, said subsystem being configured for removable coupling to correspondingly an imaging or a therapy subsystem, said imaging or therapy subsystem comprising a head frame to which is mounted an imaging or therapy transducer, said imaging or therapy subsystem being configured for registering said imaging or therapy transducer to the other of said imaging or therapy transducer by at least one of: a) detecting cavitation, and/or bubble destruction; and b) output of at least two ultrasound transducer elements attached to said therapy transducer and configured so as to be devoted to receiving ultrasound, in which case said elements are implemented.

24 . An imaging or therapy subsystem comprising:
a head frame; and correspondingly, an imaging or therapy transducer mounted to said head frame, said imaging or therapy subsystem being configured for forming a combination imaging and therapy system by registering said imaging or therapy transducer to the other of said imaging or therapy transducer of a detachable subsystem, said registering by at least one of: a) detecting cavitation, and/or bubble destruction; and b) output of at least two ultrasound transducer elements attached to said therapy transducer and configured so as to be devoted to receiving ultrasound, in which case said elements are implemented.

Assignees

• Koninkl Philips Nv

Inventors

• Powers Jeffry Earl
• Shi William Tao
• Fraser John Douglas
• Seip Ralf
• Vignon Francois Guy Gerard Ma

Classifications

• A61B8/5238

  for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image · CPC title

• A61B8/4209

  by using holders, e.g. positioning frames · CPC title

• A61B2034/2063

  Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound · CPC title

• A61B8/4254

  using sensors mounted on the probe · CPC title

• A61B2090/378

  using ultrasound · CPC title