Therapeutic probe for treating tissue using focused intersecting ultrasonic waves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9737324-B2
Application number	US-201214007333-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2012
Priority date	Mar 29, 2011
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A therapeutic probe having a transducer for focusing the ultrasonic waves into a first focal area, the emission surface of which has, within a profile plane, two concave curve segments which have a finite length and which are symmetrical relative to a plane of symmetry, or to an axis of symmetry. Within the profile plane, both concave curve segments extend along arcs of first and second non-coincident circles that intersect each other, and each curve segment has an acoustic axis intersecting the axis of symmetry, or the plane of symmetry, between the first focal area and the emission surface, the acoustic axes being spaced apart from each other such that the beams from the emission surface intersect each other so as to create a second focal area located in and situated between the first focal area and the emission surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A therapeutic probe for treating tissue using a transducer for focusing ultrasonic waves and formed by a plurality of ultrasonic sources distributed over an emission surface to focus the ultrasonic waves into a first focal area established in a focal plane situated in front of the transducer, the probe comprising:
the emission surface formed by the transducer with a cross section in a profile plane perpendicular to the focal plane, having, within the profile plane, two concave curve segments which have a finite length, and which are symmetrical relative to an axis of symmetry, or to a plane of symmetry, each concave curve segment having an acoustic axis passing through the center of curvature and the middle of said concave curve segment, said emission surface being created either by rotating one of the concave curve segments around the axis of symmetry such that the emission surface is of revolution, or by translating both concave curve segments in a direction perpendicular to the profile plane containing said concave curve segments such that the emission surface has a shape made up of two cylinder portions,
wherein, within the profile plane, the two concave curve segments follow arcs of first and second non-coincident circles that intersect each other, one of the concave curve segments following the arc of the first circle with the arc that is situated within the second circle, while the other of the two concave curve segments following the arc of the second circle, with the arc being situated inside the first circle,
wherein the acoustic axis of each concave curve segment intersects the axis of symmetry, or the plane of symmetry, between the first focal area and the emission surface, the acoustic axes being separated from each other, at the first focal area, by a separating distance comprised between 1 and 50 mm, such that the beams of the emission surface intersect to create a second focal area that is located and situated between the first focal area and the emission surface, and separated from the focal plane,
wherein the emission surface includes an inner edge, and
wherein the symmetrical parts extending on either side of the axis of symmetry, or plane of symmetry, are separated from each other by an inner distance comprised between 10 and 120 mm, allowing the second focal area to be positioned away from the emission surface.

2. The therapeutic probe according to claim 1 , wherein the emission surface includes an outer edge wherein the symmetrical parts extending on either side of the axis of symmetry, or plane of symmetry, are separated from each other by an outer distance comprised between 30 and 300 mm.

3. The therapeutic probe according to claim 1 , wherein the inner edge delimits, in the emission surface, a housing for mounting an ultrasonic imaging probe.

4. The therapeutic probe according to claim 1 , wherein each concave curve segment is a concave arc of a circle segment.

5. The therapeutic probe according to claim 1 , wherein each concave curve segment is configured such that translating both curve segments over a finite length in a direction perpendicular to the profile plane containing said concave curve segments results in creating the emission surface, such that the first focal area has a dual linear shape.

6. A therapeutic apparatus for treating tissue by emitting focused ultrasonic waves, including a therapeutic probe according to claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic sources are activated by signals delivered by a signal generator that is part of a control circuit, so as to focus the ultrasonic waves in a first focal area, and obtain a second focal area located and situated between the first focal area and the emission surface.

7. The therapeutic probe according to claim 1 , wherein each concave curve segment is configured such that rotating one of the concave curve segments around the axis of symmetry results in creating the emission surface, such that the first focal area has a crown shape.

8. The therapeutic probe according to claim 7 , wherein the emission surface is truncated symmetrically relative to the axis of symmetry.

Assignees

• Melodelima David
• Vincenot Jeremy
• Blanc Emmanuel
• Chapelon Jean-Yves
• Edap Tms France
• Inserm (Institut Nat De La Sante Et De La Rech Medicale)

Inventors

• Melodelima David
• Vincenot Jeremy
• Blanc Emmanuel
• Chapelon Jean-Yves

Classifications

• A61N7/02 Primary

  Localised ultrasound hyperthermia · CPC title

• A61N2007/0065

  Concave transducers · CPC title

• A61N2007/027

  with multiple foci created simultaneously · CPC title

• A61N2007/0078

  with multiple treatment transducers · CPC title

• A61B2090/378

  using ultrasound · CPC title