Patent ID: 9649127
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61N

Claim:
1. A system for thermal treatment or ablation of tissue comprising: an ultrasonic thermal ablation probe including one or more ultrasonic transducers; an ultrasonic three-dimensional imaging probe configured to capture at least one image from radio frequency image data obtained before the radio frequency image data is processed; a control system for multi-axis control of the imaging probe's position; and an ultrasonic feedback mechanism configured to measure ultrasound echo strain to estimate heat-induced structural changes of an area surrounding the ultrasonic thermal ablation probe, from the at least one image, wherein the ultrasonic thermal ablation probe comprises one of: an interstitial ablator configured to be inserted into tissue, a natural cavity or a vessel to emit high intensity ultrasound energy to deposit thermal dose, or an external applicator configured to emit a directional high intensity ultrasound energy to deposit thermal dose via surface contact with tissue, wherein control variables of the control system include at least one of a temperature profile or an actual thermal dose profile of a particular location, the temperature profile generated based on the heat-induced structural changes estimated by the ultrasonic feedback mechanism, which control variables are indicative of a level of tissue ablation, and wherein the control system receives the estimated heat-induced structural changes from the ultrasonic feedback mechanism and adjusts power levels of the ultrasonic thermal ablation probe based on the estimated heat-induced structural changes.