HIFU Gating Strategy for Motion-Compensated Thermal Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) procedures face challenges in precision and effectiveness due to patient physiological movements, such as respiration, which can cause tissue motions and damage healthy tissues surrounding the target region.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that analyze the motion trajectory of a moving target to determine a treatment plan, including signal specification and timing, to induce a thermal effect by controlling focused ultrasound signals, using a gating window strategy and a sonication power activation algorithm to predict and synchronize energy delivery with the target's position and motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If HIFU is used to treat cancer by inducing local hyperthermia, then the treatment effectiveness is improved, but the precision is deteriorated due to tissue motions caused by physiological movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the HIFU treatment system adaptive to real-time tissue motion. The system continuously monitors tissue position and adjusts ultrasound delivery accordingly, transforming a static precision problem into a dynamic control problem that can be solved through real-time adjustment rather than rigid pre-planned treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where tissue motion information is continuously fed back to the control system. This feedback loop enables the system to detect deviations from the target position caused by physiological movements and automatically adjust the ultrasound delivery parameters to maintain treatment precision and effectiveness
2Ease of operation
If HIFU treatment is applied without motion compensation, then the procedure simplicity is maintained, but damage to healthy tissues occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful effect by separating the treatment delivery from the motion-affected regions. Through motion monitoring and gating techniques, the system identifies when and where healthy tissues are at risk due to motion and excludes those regions from treatment, delivering ultrasound energy only to the target when it is in the correct position
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing motion compensation strategies and gating parameters before treatment begins. The system pre-calculates safe treatment windows based on predicted tissue motion patterns, allowing the operator to initiate treatment only when motion conditions are favorable, thereby preventing damage to healthy tissues without complicating the overall procedure
3Manufacturing precision
If real-time motion monitoring is implemented, then the treatment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing motion monitoring components that serve multiple functions. The same monitoring system used to detect tissue motion for precision control also provides feedback for treatment timing, safety monitoring, and treatment planning, thereby reducing overall system complexity through multi-functional integration rather than adding separate dedicated systems for each function
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the precision and safety of HIFU procedures by ensuring that ultrasound energy is delivered only when the target is within a predetermined gating window, minimizing damage to healthy tissues and optimizing thermal effects on the target.
Implementation Method 1
High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a technique that uses high-intensity acoustic power for treating cancer. By inducing local hyperthermia, HIFU causes tissue necrosis in a target region rapidly
Data Source
AI summary
A method of inducing thermal effect at a moving target includes receiving a first data characterizing a repeated motion of the moving target; processing the first data to determine a treatment plan, including determining a plan for directing a signal at the moving target; and controlling the signal directed at the moving target according to the treatment plan to induce a thermal effect.