HIFU Treatment Parameterization Using Real-Time Tissue Metamodels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing HIFU treatment simulations for heterogeneous tissue areas are computationally intensive and time-consuming, making them incompatible with outpatient treatment, and the convergence to optimal treatment protocols can be slow and sub-optimal.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for parameterizing HIFU treatment devices using a metamodel to estimate the ultrasonic field and thermal dose, adjusting treatment parameters to minimize a cost function based on tissue regions to be necrotized and preserved, allowing for rapid, quasi-optimal parameterization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional simulation methods are used to model heterogeneous tissue areas with high spatial resolution, then the accuracy of thermal dose estimation is improved, but the computation time increases to several hours
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes ultrasonic field simulations for a discrete set of representative tissue configurations before actual treatment. These pre-computed results are stored and used to rapidly estimate thermal doses for new patients by finding the closest matching pre-computed case, avoiding the need to perform full high-resolution simulations during treatment planning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified surrogate models that copy the essential behavior of complex heterogeneous tissue simulations. Instead of directly simulating detailed patient-specific anatomy, the system uses pre-computed ultrasonic field maps from representative configurations as proxies, enabling fast thermal dose estimation while maintaining reasonable accuracy.
2Reliability
If treatment parameters are adjusted empirically through repeated simulations, then the quality of treatment protocol is improved, but the convergence speed becomes slow and may lead to sub-optimal solutions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an iterative optimization process where the thermal dose estimation from pre-computed ultrasonic field maps feeds back into adjusting treatment parameters. The system evaluates treatment outcomes using the fast surrogate model and automatically refines parameters to maximize tumor necrosis while minimizing healthy tissue damage, achieving both quality and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent systematically varies treatment parameters (power, duration, focal point position) and uses the pre-computed ultrasonic field maps to rapidly assess their impact on thermal dose distribution. This enables efficient exploration of the parameter space to find optimal treatment protocols without requiring time-consuming repeated full simulations.
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
Enables near real-time simulation and adjustment of HIFU treatment protocols to achieve optimal tissue ablation while preserving healthy tissue, facilitating outpatient treatment.
Implementation Method 1
a phased array multi-transducer probe... form a focused beam at a predetermined point
Implementation Method 2
Tissue is destroyed by protein coagulation, leading to irreversible cell damage and apoptosis... thermal ablation of benign or malignant tumours
Data Source
AI summary
A parameterising method and system integrated within a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment device. The parameterising system includes a real-time simulation unit that makes it possible to predict, on the basis of geometric and physiological parameters of tissue regions in the area to be treated, and treatment parameters, the distribution of the ultrasonic field within the area. The computation is performed in real time by means of a metamodel: the ultrasonic field is estimated from an interpolation of maps of the ultrasonic field which are pre-computed and stored in a database, the maps being associated with different values of the geometric and physiological parameters of the tissue regions in question. The thermal dose applied at each point during treatment is subsequently computed and the tissue response is estimated. It is possible for the practitioner to check at any time that the simulated treatment is being used in accordance with tissue regions to be necrotised and tissue regions to be spared. The treatment parameters can be iteratively adjusted in order to conform to the objective.