Patent ID: 6716184
Filing Date: 2004-04-06
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
An ultrasound therapy head adapted to couple to an ultrasound imaging probe, to achieve a combination ultrasound imaging probe and ultrasound therapy head to simultaneously image a treatment site within a patient's body using the ultrasound imaging probe, and administer ultrasound therapy to the treatment site within the patient's body using the ultrasound therapy head, comprising:(a) a housing, said housing comprising an orifice having a size and shape adapted to enable said housing to be positioned on a distal end of the ultrasound imaging probe, said orifice having a central axis, such that when said housing is positioned on the distal end of the ultrasound imaging probe, an axis of symmetry of an unmodified imaging plane associated with an imaging transducer incorporated into the ultrasound imaging probe is substantially aligned with the central axis of the orifice; (b) a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer coupled to said housing, said HIFU transducer having an aperture through which HIFU waves are transmitted, the HIFU transducer being disposed relative to said housing such that when said housing is positioned on the distal end of the ultrasound imaging probe, a focal point of said HIFU transducer is within the unmodified imaging plane; and (c) an electrical conductor electrically coupled to said HIFU transducer, and adapted to be coupled to a power source, to enable said HIFU transducer to be energized to render the HIFU therapy while the imaging transducer incorporated into the ultrasound imaging probe is energized to provide an ultrasound signal for imaging the treatment site.