An ultrasound treatment and imaging system configured for reducing imaging misalignment, comprising: an ultrasonic probe comprising an ultrasound therapy transducer adapted to apply ultrasonic therapy to tissue, an ultrasound imaging transducer adapted for imaging the tissue, and a motion mechanism for moving the ultrasound imaging transducer in a first direction and a second direction, a control module coupled to the ultrasonic probe for controlling the displacement and focusing of the ultrasound imaging transducer , wherein the ultrasound imaging transducer is mechanically attached to the motion mechanism , and wherein the ultrasound imaging transducer and the ultrasound therapy transducer are configured as coupled or co-housed imaging/therapy transducers or as a combined dual-mode imaging/therapy transducer, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction, the motion in the second direction being the reversed path of the motion in the first direction, wherein a spatial registration between A-lines of the first direction imaging and A-lines of the second direction imaging is improved by staggering a triggering location of the imaging in the first direction and the imaging in the second direction, wherein the ultrasound imaging transducer images with a first focal zone sequence order (f1, ..., fN), where N>1 when travelling in the first direction, wherein the ultrasound imaging transducer images with a second focal zone sequence order (fN,..., f1) when travelling in the second direction, wherein the second focal zone sequence order (fN,..., f1) is equal to the reversed first focal zone sequence order (f1,..., fN), and wherein the ultrasound treatment and imaging system employs a directionally dependent focal zone sequencing with alternating between (f1-... -fN - fN- ... - f1) on two consecutive A-lines. an ultrasonic probe comprising an ultrasound therapy transducer adapted to apply ultrasonic therapy to tissue, an ultrasound imaging transducer adapted for imaging the tissue, and a motion mechanism for moving the ultrasound imaging transducer in a first direction and a second direction, a control module coupled to the ultrasonic probe for controlling the displacement and focusing of the ultrasound imaging transducer , wherein the ultrasound imaging transducer is mechanically attached to the motion mechanism , and wherein the ultrasound imaging transducer and the ultrasound therapy transducer are configured as coupled or co-housed imaging/therapy transducers or as a combined dual-mode imaging/therapy transducer, wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction, the motion in the second direction being the reversed path of the motion in the first direction, wherein a spatial registration between A-lines of the first direction imaging and A-lines of the second direction imaging is improved by staggering a triggering location of the imaging in the first direction and the imaging in the second direction, wherein the ultrasound imaging transducer images with a first focal zone sequence order (f1, ..., fN), where N>1 when travelling in the first direction, wherein the ultrasound imaging transducer images with a second focal zone sequence order (fN,..., f1) when travelling in the second direction, wherein the second focal zone sequence order (fN,..., f1) is equal to the reversed first focal zone sequence order (f1,..., fN), and wherein the ultrasound treatment and imaging system employs a directionally dependent focal zone sequencing with alternating between (f1-... -fN - fN- ... - f1) on two consecutive A-lines. <EOS>