Patent ID: 8480600

Claim:
A high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) system for treating tissue at a treatment site, the system comprising: a HIFU transducer and controller configured to deliver HIFU signals at a focus within a treatment site; a receiver configured to receive echo signals that result from delivery of the HIFU signals into the treatment site; and a processor that is programmed to detect energy in the received echo signals, integrate the detected energy over a determined time period and depth near the focus of the HIFU transducer, and based on the integrated energy in the echo signals, determine changes in a spatial distribution of energy in the treatment site, wherein the processor is further programmed to assess the spatial extent of the treatment site and produce a feedback control signal that is used to control the delivery of HIFU signals into the treatment site based on the determined changes in the spatial distribution of energy in the treatment site.