Patent ID: 7387613
Filing Date: 2008-06-17
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
1. Device for non-invasive ultrasound treatment of disc disease, comprising: at least one therapeutic ultrasound transducer for treatment of the disc of a patient by generating by means of said at least one therapeutic ultrasound transducer an ultrasonic field, the temperature focus of which is adapted to be focused in the disc for heating thereof, and wherein the at least one therapeutic ultrasound transducer is of a “phased array”-type for being able to vary the distance between the transmitter element of the at least one therapeutic ultrasound transducer and the temperature focus of the ultrasonic field, a diagnostic ultrasound transducer to determine the acoustic properties of the patient's tissue between the location of the at least one therapeutic ultrasound transducer during the treatment and the disc to be treated, and a computer which is configured to calculate, based on the acoustic properties determined by the diagnostic ultrasound transducer, the distance between the area on the patient and the disc as well as the thickness of the patient's tissue and of the different tissue layers, and to make correction for differences in size and tissue configuration in order to take the different attenuation of the ultrasonic field in different types of tissue into account, and to control the temperature focus of the ultrasonic field of the at least one therapeutic ultrasound transducer by controlling time delays for excitation of piezoelectric elements of the at least one therapeutic ultrasound transducer, wherein the at least one therapeutic ultrasound transducer is positioned in relation to the disc to be treated, dependent on the acoustic properties determined by the diagnostic ultrasound transducer, wherein the transmitter element of the at least one therapeutic ultrasound transducer is set dependent on the correction for differences in size and tissue configuration such that the temperature focus of the ultrasonic field of the at least one therapeutic ultrasound transducer can be brought to appear in the disc to be treated.