Therapeutic ultrasound transducer for focused ultrasound emission

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an ultrasound transducer for therapeutic ultrasound techniques, such as high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) techniques. The challenge is to design an ultrasound transducer that can apply the required pressure deep enough into biological tissue with sufficient precision to apply the required pressure within a target volume of tissue without destroying the surrounding tissue. It is therefore proposed to use a transducer with several ultrasound emission zones that can be activated independently. This allows the transducer to apply the required pressure to target locations that are not aligned with the emission axis.

Description

Technical Field

[0007] , , ,

[0006]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an ultrasonic transducer.

Background Art

[0002] Therapeutic ultrasonic technologies such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) technology are increasingly being used in a wide range of applications as a non-invasive method for destroying targets such as tumors in biological tissues or living bodies.

[0003] Generally, one or more ultrasonic transducers are used to generate an ultrasonic beam directed at a target located in biological tissue or a living body. The ultrasonic beam generates a wave of mechanical pressure at a specific location within the biological tissue, and that wave causes a local temperature rise, resulting in the destruction of the target.

[0004] One problem is to design an ultrasonic transducer that can apply the required pressure with sufficient accuracy deep enough into biological tissue so that the required pressure can be applied within the target volume of the tissue without destroying the surrounding tissue. <​​​​​​​​ In addition, treating areas of tissue with complex patterns that deviate from the acoustic axis presents a challenge. In fact, treating complex structures with focused ultrasound in a broad sense requires numerous components (and associated electronic equipment) and long processing times. In the case of ultrasound treatment focused by a toroidal transducer, the pressure remains maximum along the acoustic axis, which means that it is difficult to extend the treatment area relative to the acoustic axis and to treat complex structures that do not have rotational symmetry. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for an ultrasonic transducer that can overcome at least some of the aforementioned drawbacks. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic transducer comprising a base portion and a plurality of ultrasonic emitter elements located on the surface of the base portion, wherein the base portion exhibits rotational symmetry with respect to the emission axis of the transducer, the surface is divided into several ultrasonic emission zones, and at least one of the ultrasonic emission zones, called the first central ultrasonic emission zone, has a linear shape and is located in the center of the surface. The surface of the central ultrasonic emission zone comprises 25% to 50% of the entire surface of the base portion.

[0010] This technique allows for optimal treatment of the target area by minimizing pressure along the acoustic axis, maximizing pressure away from the acoustic axis, and consequently minimizing the risk of secondary lesions along the acoustic axis. This optimization is related to the ratio of the transducer's linear surface to its total surface.

[0011] Depending on a convenient and optional mode, alternative embodiments of the present invention may include one or more of the following features, either individually or in all possible technical combinations: —The second ultrasonic emission zone of the ultrasonic transducer has a linear shape and is located in the center of the surface, and the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones are arranged relative to each other to form a cross shape. —The second ultrasonic emission zone of the ultrasonic transducer has a linear shape and is located in the center of the surface, and the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones are arranged to intersect each other at any angle between the first and second central ultrasonic zones. —Each of the two central ultrasound emission zones can be divided into two parts that can be activated independently. —The ultrasonic transducer is configured to allow the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones to be activated independently of each other. —The ultrasonic transducer is configured to allow other ultrasonic emission zones to be activated independently of the central ultrasonic emission zone. —The ultrasonic transducer is configured so that each ultrasonic emission zone of the ultrasonic transducer can be activated independently of the other ultrasonic emission zones. The base portion has a diameter consisting of 10 mm to 300 mm, preferably consisting of 90 mm to 130 mm. —The surface of the central ultrasonic emission zone comprises 25% to 50% of the total surface of the base portion, ideally equal to 33%. —The base portion is concave, preferably frustoconical or toroidal. —The ultrasonic transducer is a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer. The ultrasonic transducer includes a layer of piezoelectric material and at least one conductive electrode layer disposed in contact with the piezoelectric material layer, the electrode layer being divided into a plurality of conductive pads, the coupling between each conductive pad and the piezoelectric layer forming an ultrasonic emitter element, and each emission zone of the electron transducer includes one or more of the conductive pads.

[0012] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a device comprising an ultrasonic transducer and a control unit connected to the ultrasonic transducer, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is the ultrasonic transducer according to any one of the claims, and the control unit comprises at least one signal generator for driving an ultrasonic emitter element, preferably a matching circuit between the signal generator and the ultrasonic emitter element.

[0013] In another embodiment, the control unit is configured to activate each ultrasonic emission zone of the ultrasonic transducer independently of the other ultrasonic emission zones.

[0014] In another embodiment, the device is a therapeutic ultrasound device configured to generate at least one focused ultrasound beam.

[0015] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a treatment method for which the above-mentioned device is used on a human patient.

[0016] The present invention will be understood by reading the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided only as examples. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an ultrasonic system including an ultrasonic transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 shows several embodiments of the ultrasonic transducer. [Figure 3]A graph is shown that depicts the comparison of relative gains in pressure applied by several ultrasonic transducers as a function of the ratio between the surface of the emission zone consisting of a straight line of said transducer and the total surface. [Figure 4] The comparison of the pressure fields and corresponding heat doses applied by several exemplary ultrasonic transducers is shown. [Figure 5] The ultrasonic transducer of FIG. 1 is schematically shown in a three-dimensional view. [Figure 6] A graph is shown that depicts the comparison of relative gains in pressure applied by several ultrasonic transducers as a function of the ratio between the surface of the emission zone consisting of a straight line of said transducer and the total surface.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Detailed Description of Several Embodiments FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an ultrasonic device 2 that includes an ultrasonic emission device 4 that includes one ultrasonic transducer 6.

[0019] In the illustrated example, the ultrasonic device 2 also includes a control unit 8 and a user control interface 10.

[0020] The control unit 8 includes appropriate electronic circuits for performing various operations in support of its functions. For example, the control unit 8 can include a general-purpose processor, such as a microprocessor or a microcontroller, or a special-purpose processor, such as a digital signal processor (DSP) or a graphics processing unit (GPU), or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Additionally, many of the same functions can be performed using analog circuits.

[0021] In many embodiments, the control unit 8 includes at least one signal generator for driving the ultrasonic emitter element of the ultrasonic transducer 6, as will be described below.

[0022] In practice, the control unit 8 is connected to the transducer 6 by one or more electrical connectors, such as cables.

[0023] The user control interface 10 may include a human-machine interface, such as a display screen and / or data input means, such as a keyboard or a touch-sensitive screen or pointer or equivalent device or a combination thereof.

[0024] The ultrasonic device 2 is configured to apply ultrasound to destroy a target in a host substance 20, such as biological tissue.

[0025] For example, the ultrasonic device 2 is configured to generate at least one focused ultrasonic beam directed towards a target region of the host material 20.

[0026] This generates mechanical vibrations within the host material 20, which in turn creates a controlled localized temperature increase within the host material 20, and this can be used to destroy targets such as tumors. Hereafter, this will be referred to as "thermal radiation dose".

[0027] In some embodiments, the host substance 20 does not necessarily have to be a biological tissue, but may be a soft substance such as food or gel.

[0028] Ultrasound device 2 may be a medical device or a therapeutic device.

[0029] For example, ultrasonic transducer 6 is a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer.

[0030] In many embodiments, the ultrasonic emitting device 4 includes a casing surrounding the ultrasonic transducer 6 and may also include a connector for connecting the transducer 6 to a cable connected to a control unit 8. In addition, matching circuits (such as impedance matching circuits) can be used between the transducer 6 and the control unit 8 to transmit electrical signals to the transducer 6 with minimal electrical loss.

[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, the control unit 8 is shown as a separate device from the ultrasonic device 4. However, in some embodiments, the control unit 8 may be located within the casing of the device 4.

[0032] In some embodiments, the control unit 8 can be combined with the interface 10 to form a single device.

[0033] An embodiment of the ultrasonic transducer 6 is shown in Figure 2.

[0034] In most embodiments, the ultrasonic transducer includes a base portion and a plurality of ultrasonic emitter elements located on the surface of the base portion (the so-called "emission surface"). In this example, the base portion has a circular shape.

[0035] Preferably, the base portion has a concave shape centered on the discharge axis of the transducer 6.

[0036] For example, the base portion may be frustum-shaped (e.g., truncated cone), toroidal (e.g., truncated torus), conical, bell-shaped, or curved disc-shaped. The base portion may be formed to exhibit rotational symmetry with respect to the emission axis. In other words, the base portion exhibits rotational symmetry with respect to the emission axis of the transducer.

[0037] An example of a concave base can be seen, for example, in European Patent Publication No. 2035091B1. In this case, the base has a truncated toroidal shape (more precisely, the base is constructed on a portion of the inner enclosing surface of the spindle torus). A torus can be mathematically constructed by rotating a circle around an axis of rotation that is offset laterally from that axis (i.e., offset perpendicular to the axis of rotation). If the distance between the axis of rotation and the center of the circle is less than the radius of the circle, the torus is a spindle torus. The axis of rotation coincides with the emission axis of the transducer. An example of the construction rules for a truncated toroidal shape constructed on a portion of the inner enclosing surface of a spindle torus can be seen in the academic paper Melodima et al., Applied Physics Letters 2009; 91(19):193901.

[0038] This example is not limited; other shapes are possible.

[0039] For example, the diameter of transducer 6 can range from 1 cm to 30 cm, preferably equal to 12 cm. This example is not limiting.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the surface is divided into several ultrasonic emission zones (or emission regions).

[0041] For example, the ultrasonic emission zone includes a portion of piezoelectric material that can emit ultrasound independently of other areas of the transducer 6.

[0042] At least one of the ultrasonic emission zones, called the first central ultrasonic emission zone, has a linear shape and is located in the center of the surface. The linear shape may be rectangular or an elongated strip. For example, the ultrasonic emission zone may be band-shaped.

[0043] Preferably, each linear ultrasonic emission zone (e.g., band) spans both sides of the emission axis of the transducer, and the emission axis is located at the center of the transducer (for example, at the center of the base portion, as shown in Figures 2 and 5).

[0044] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, the shape consisting of each band or line forming the central ultrasonic emission zone is wider than the central opening 38.

[0045] In some other embodiments, the shape of each band or line forming the central ultrasonic emission zone may be narrower than the central opening 38.

[0046] This discharge zone can, for convenience, be divided into two parts, preferably two equal parts.

[0047] Figure 2 shows several possible embodiments of the ultrasonic transducer 6.

[0048] Figure 2 shows an exemplary transducer 6 in a two-dimensional view corresponding to a top-down elevation. Figure 5 shows two examples of transducer 6 (inserts A and B) in isometric perspective views (i.e., three-dimensional views).

[0049] Therefore, it should be understood that transducer 6 is a three-dimensional object, and is shown in two dimensions in Figure 2 for convenience and explanatory purposes only.

[0050] In the first example, as can be seen in inset (a) of Figure 2, the ultrasonic transducer 30 includes a central ultrasonic emission zone in the form of a strip 32, which is divided into two equal parts.

[0051] For example, the ultrasonic transducer 30 also includes other emission zones 34, 36 separated from the central zone 32 by parallel straight cut lines 31 and 33.

[0052] In many embodiments, the transducer includes a central opening 38 that can be used to insert an ultrasonic imaging probe or camera or any measuring device.

[0053] In the second example, as can be seen in inset (b) of Figure 2, the ultrasonic transducer 40 includes a central ultrasonic emission zone 32 that is otherwise identical or similar to the transducer 30, but rotates with respect to the vertical.

[0054] In the third example, as can be seen in inset(c) of Figure 2 and in Figure 5, the second ultrasonic emission zone in the ultrasonic transducer 50 has a linear shape and is located in the center of the surface.

[0055] For example, "centrally positioned" means that the ultrasonic emission zone, which consists of a straight line, spans both sides of the transducer's emission axis, and the emission axis is positioned in the center of the transducer (for example, in the center of the base).

[0056] In addition, the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones (52+54, 56+58) are arranged relative to each other to form a cross shape. In other words, the first and second zones are arranged perpendicular to each other. This transducer 50 is otherwise identical or similar to the transducer 30 described above.

[0057] Preferably, the first and second zones extend across the entire diameter of the base portion, for example, from one edge of the base portion to the opposite edge. Thus, in many embodiments, the first and second zones have the appearance of a cross inscribed within a circle or disc.

[0058] In other embodiments, the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones are arranged to intersect each other at any angle (i.e., the first and second zones are not necessarily perpendicular to each other).

[0059] Preferably, the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones intersect each other at their respective geometric centers.

[0060] In the illustrated example, the first and second zones are each divided into two subzones (52, 54 and 56, 58, respectively), but this is not required, and in other embodiments, the first and second zones may each extend continuously, as in the transducer 30 or 40 described above, or as in the case where the central opening 38 is omitted.

[0061] More precisely, in this example, transducer 50 is divided into eight sectors, two of which form the first central zone, two of which form the second central zone, and each of the remaining sectors forms one of the remaining zones 60, 62, 64, and 66.

[0062] In practice, as shown by inset (d) of Figure 2, which schematically represents a cutaway of an exemplary transducer 6, the ultrasonic transducer 6 may include a layer 72 of piezoelectric material and at least one conductive electrode layer disposed in contact with the piezoelectric material layer.

[0063] The electrode layer is divided into multiple conductive pads 74, for example, by etching, or by cutting the electrode layer with a mechanical saw or any suitable means.

[0064] Therefore, the ultrasonic emitter element defined above is formed by the coupling of a conductive pad 74 and a piezoelectric layer 72. The corresponding region of the piezoelectric layer 72 can be vibrated by applying an appropriate electrical signal through the conductive pad 74. Each emission zone 32, 34, 36; 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66 of the electronic transducer includes one or more of the conductive pads 74.

[0065] In the illustrated example, only one side of the piezoelectric material layer 72 is shown to be covered by the conductive electrode layer. However, in practice, the conductive electrode layer can be disposed on both the upper and lower surfaces of the piezoelectric layer 72, and the conductive conductor pad 74 can be formed on each of the conductive electrode layers.

[0066] Preferably, the ultrasonic transducer 6 is configured to be able to activate the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones 52+54 and 56+58 independently of each other.

[0067] In some further embodiments, the ultrasonic transducer 6 is configured to allow the other ultrasonic emission zones 60, 62, 64, and 66 of the ultrasonic transducer to be activated independently of the central ultrasonic emission zone.

[0068] In some further embodiments, the ultrasonic transducer 6 is configured to allow each ultrasonic emission zone 32, 34, 36; 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66 to be activated independently of the other ultrasonic emission zones.

[0069] For example, zones 60, 62, 64, and 66 can be activated independently of each other and of the central zones 52 / 54 and 56 / 58. In some embodiments, zones 60, 62, 64, and 66 may remain unactivated; that is, they do not emit ultrasound.

[0070] In some embodiments, the zones can be controlled independently of each other by providing various control signals (excitation signals, i.e., electrical signals designed to cause a piezoelectric material to vibrate at a given frequency with a specific amplitude and phase).

[0071] For example, each ultrasonic emission zone 32, 34, 36 or 52 / 54, 56 / 58 and optionally 60, 62, 64, 66 are coupled to a control unit 8 to receive a control signal different from the control signal received from another emission zone 8.

[0072] For example, a first excitation signal is supplied to the central zone 32, 52 / 54 to simultaneously drive all the emission elements in the zone. For example, the excitation signal is applied to all the electrical conductor pads 74 located within the central zone.

[0073] Where applicable, a second excitation signal is supplied to the second central zone 56 / 58 in a similar manner.

[0074] One or more additional excitation signals may be provided to one or more of the other zones 60, 62, 64, and 66.

[0075] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment, the transducer 50 can be operated in at least three different activation modes: a mode in which only the first central emission zone is activated, a mode in which both the first and second central emission zones are activated, and a mode in which all emission zones are activated.

[0076] As explained earlier, the control unit 8 includes at least one signal generator, preferably several signal generators, for driving the ultrasonic emitter element.

[0077] In some embodiments, a signal generator can correspond to each zone. In some other embodiments, a signal generator can be used to drive several zones independently, with the assistance of appropriate signal processing circuits.

[0078] For example, in some embodiments, the control unit 8 includes a multi-channel amplifier, such as a 32-channel amplifier, to generate a plurality of control signals. The control unit 8 may also include a switching device for addressing the plurality of control signals to their corresponding XX.

[0079] In a preferred embodiment, the surface of the central ultrasonic emission zone 32 or 52 / 54 or 56 / 58, labeled "T" in inset (c) of Figure 2, comprises 15% to 70% of the transducer surface (i.e., the surface of the base portion), preferably 25% to 50% of the base portion surface.

[0080] In a preferred embodiment, the surface T of the central ultrasonic emission zone comprises 30% to 35% of the surface of the base portion, most preferably equal to 33% of the surface of the base portion.

[0081] Preferably, the surface T is equal to 1 / 3 of the surface of the base portion.

[0082] It was found that the shape, dimensions, and relative spatial arrangement of the central zones 32, 52 / 54, and 56 / 58 allow for an increase in the amount of thermal radiation deposited laterally relative to the emission axis. This is especially true when only the central zones (alternatively 32 or 52 / 54 or 52 / 54 and 56 / 58) are activated, and the rest of the transducer is not activated.

[0083] Preferably, the dimensions and shapes of the first and second central zones 52 / 54 and 56 / 58 are similar or identical. However, in some embodiments, the first central zones 32 or 52 and 54 or 56 and 58 may have different widths.

[0084] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first central zones 32 or 52 and 54 or 56 and 58 can have different lengths. For example, each first central zone can be divided into multiple slices that can be activated independently of the other slices of the central zone. Thus, it is possible to increase or decrease the activation length of each first central zone.

[0085] In Figure 3, Graph 80 shows the relative gain (expressed as a relative value) of the pressure deposited along the emission axis (Graph 82) as a function of the relative surface S (ratio of surface T to the total surface of the base portion), compared to the pressure deposited in the region of the target material 20 away from the emission axis (Graph 84). In this example, only one of the central zones 52 / 54 and 56 / 58 of transducer 50 was activated.

[0086] In this example, it can be seen that surface T, which comprises 15% to 70% of the transducer surface, preferably 25% to 50% of the transducer surface, minimizes the amount of pressure applied along the discharge axis while maximizing the amount of off-axis pressure.

[0087] Data points 90, 92, and 94 show individual experimental measurements for two different transducer surfaces: 100% (ES mode) and 33% (vertical mode). In all cases, the focus was shifted 9 mm from the acoustic axis. Experimental points 90, 92, and 94 show the absolute difference (2% to 15%) between the theoretical value (graphs 80 and 82) and the corresponding measured value.

[0088] For example, when defining the shape of a transducer, in ES mode, the transducer is divided into two equal emission surfaces (surface T=100%) by applying a single radial slice while shifting the treatment zone. The pressure is maximum on the axis rather than the treatment zone, resulting in a zone that is ablated being longer rather than wider. In vertical mode, radial slicing is applied to obtain a band (vertical mode). As a result, the pressure reaches its maximum value in the treatment zone rather than on the emission axis while shifting the focus.

[0089] Figure 4 shows a comparison of numerical simulation data for four different configurations of the transducer 50, illustrating the magnitude and spatial distribution of the pressure field (left half of each image) and applied thermal radiation (right half of each image) in the region of the host material 20.

[0090] In the first configuration (upper left diagram), all emission zones of the transducer are activated simultaneously. As a result, the majority of the heat radiation is applied along or near the emission axis. The surface T of the central zone is equal to 100% of the transducer surface.

[0091] In the second configuration (upper right diagram), one of the central zones 52 / 54 or 56 / 58 of transducer 50 is activated. The other zones are not activated and do not emit ultrasound. The surface T of the central zone is equal to 83% of the transducer surface.

[0092] In the third configuration (lower left diagram), one of the central zones 52 / 54 or 56 / 58 of transducer 50 is activated. The other zones are not activated and do not emit ultrasound. The surface T of the central zone is equal to 33% of the transducer surface.

[0093] In the fourth configuration (bottom right diagram), the central zones 52 / 54 or 56 / 58 of transducer 50 are activated. The other zones are not activated and do not emit ultrasound. The surface T of the central zone is equal to 10% of the transducer surface.

[0094] Unless only the central zones 52 / 54 or 56 / 58 are activated, it can be seen that the majority of the thermal radiation is applied along or near the emission axis.

[0095] Furthermore, the effect becomes more pronounced when the surface T of the central zone equals 33% of the total surface of the transducer.

[0096] As surface T decreases (for example, to less than 10% of the transducer's total surface), the applied pressure and thermal radiation decrease off-axis and become uniform along the path between the transducer and the focal zone. This may require increased pressure for treatment, potentially leading to side effects in non-target areas. As a natural consequence, as surface T approaches the transducer's total surface (e.g., 83%), the applied pressure and thermal radiation decrease off-axis and increase along the acoustic axis, limiting the desired effect.

[0097] An advantage of the present invention is that the transducer 6 can apply the necessary pressure to a target location of the host material 20 that is not aligned with the emission axis without moving or repositioning the transducer. Therefore, by simply activating different emission zones, it is possible to target an increased volume within the host material 20 without moving or repositioning the transducer relative to the host material 20, and more importantly, without requiring a large number of elements (and associated electronics) and long processing times.

[0098] In Figure 6, Graph 100 shows a comparative example based on numerical simulations illustrating the evolution of pressure gain (expressed as a ratio to the transducer surface) for different values ​​of surface T for two different transducers 6 (curves 102 and 104).

[0099] In this example, both the first and second transducers correspond to transducer 50 shown in inset (c) of Figure 2 and in Figure 5, although they differ in dimensions. In both cases, the base of the transducer is a frustum of a cone and is constructed on a portion of the inner enclosing surface of the spindle torus.

[0100] The result obtained for the first transducer (curve 102) is the same as the result shown in Figure 6 (curve 84). The dimensions and other characteristics of the transducer are summarized in the table below.

[0101] [Table 1]

[0102] The outer and inner diameters refer to the dimensions of the base portion. As can be seen in Figure 5, the inner diameter corresponds to the diameter at the lower end of the base portion, and the outer diameter corresponds to the diameter at the upper end of the base portion. The base portion tapers open from the lower end to the upper end.

[0103] The radius of curvature relates to the curvature of the base wall.

[0104] The data shows that using a surface T comprising 25% to 50% of the transducer surface, particularly when the surface ratio T is 33%, can achieve improved pressure gain performance.

[0105] Many other embodiments are possible.

[0106] In an optional embodiment, device 2 can be used on a human patient as part of a treatment.

[0107] Within the scope of the claims, the above embodiments and alternative forms can be combined to create new embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic transducer (6; 30; 40; 50) comprising a base portion and a plurality of ultrasonic emitter elements located on the surface of the base portion, The base portion exhibits rotational symmetry with respect to the emission axis of the transducer, and the emission axis is located at the center of the base portion. The surface is divided into several ultrasonic emission zones (32, 34, 36; 52 / 54, 56 / 58, 60, 62, 64, 66), including at least one central ultrasonic emission zone and other ultrasonic emission zones separated from the central ultrasonic emission zone by a cut line, wherein at least one central ultrasonic emission zone has a linear shape, is located in the center of the surface, spans both sides of the emission axis of the transducer, and extends across the entire diameter of the base portion. The surface (T) of the central ultrasonic emission zone is composed of 25% to 50% of the total surface of the base portion. An ultrasonic transducer is configured such that other ultrasonic emission zones of the ultrasonic transducer can be activated independently of the central ultrasonic emission zone.

2. comprising a first central ultrasonic emission zone and a second central ultrasonic emission zone, The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 1, wherein the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones (52 / 54, 56 / 58) are arranged relative to each other to form a cross shape.

3. comprising a first central ultrasonic emission zone and a second central ultrasonic emission zone, The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 1, wherein the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones (52 / 54, 56 / 58) are arranged to intersect each other at any angle between the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones.

4. The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 2 or 3, configured to allow the first and second central ultrasonic emission zones (52 / 54, 56 / 58) to be activated independently of each other.

5. The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 2, wherein the first central ultrasonic emission zones (32, 52 / 54, 56 / 58) are configured to have different widths and / or different lengths.

6. The ultrasonic transducer according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein each of the two central ultrasonic emission zones can be divided into two parts that can be activated independently.

7. The ultrasonic transducer according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each ultrasonic emission zone of the ultrasonic transducer is configured to be activated independently of other ultrasonic emission zones.

8. An ultrasonic transducer according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the base portion has a diameter consisting of 10 mm to 300 mm.

9. The ultrasonic transducer according to claim 8, wherein the base portion has a diameter consisting of 90 mm to 130 mm.

10. An ultrasonic transducer according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the surface (T) of the central ultrasonic emission zone is equal to 33% of the total surface of the base portion.

11. An ultrasonic transducer according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the base portion is concave, frustoconical, or toroidal.

12. An ultrasonic transducer according to any one of claims 1 to 11, which is a high-density focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer.

13. It includes a layer of piezoelectric material (72) and at least one conductive electrode layer disposed in contact with the layer of piezoelectric material, The electrode layer is divided into multiple conductor pads (74), and the coupling between each conductor pad and the piezoelectric layer forms an ultrasonic emitter element. The ultrasonic transducer according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein each emission zone of the electronic transducer includes one or more of the conductive pads.

14. A device comprising an ultrasonic transducer (6) and a control unit (8) connected to the ultrasonic transducer, The ultrasonic transducer is the ultrasonic transducer according to any one of claims 1 to 13, and the control unit includes at least one signal generator for driving an ultrasonic emitter element.

15. The device according to claim 14, further comprising a matching circuit between a signal generator and an ultrasonic emitter element.

16. The device according to claim 1 or 15, wherein the control unit (8) is configured to activate each ultrasonic emission zone (32, 34, 36; 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66) of the ultrasonic transducer independently of the other ultrasonic emission zones.

17. The device according to any one of claims 14 to 16, which is a therapeutic ultrasound device configured to generate at least one focused ultrasound beam.

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