Single Transducer Array for HIFU Ablation Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) techniques often inefficiently ablate tissue, leading to damage of healthy surrounding tissue due to lack of real-time monitoring, relying on discrete imaging methods that may not accurately track ablation progress.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that uses a single transducer array to rapidly switch between HIFU application and imaging modes, allowing for real-time monitoring of bubbles generated during HIFU procedures, enabling precise adjustment of HIFU application to minimize damage to healthy tissue and optimize target tissue ablation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If HIFU is applied continuously to ablate tissue, then ablation efficacy is improved, but real-time monitoring capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic switching between HIFU application and imaging modes, allowing the transducer array to alternate between delivering ultrasound energy for ablation and receiving echo signals for monitoring. This periodic action ensures both ablation efficacy and real-time monitoring are maintained through structured time-division multiplexing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the switching frequency and duty cycle between HIFU and imaging modes based on treatment progress and clinical requirements. This dynamic control allows optimization of both ablation efficiency and monitoring frequency, adapting to different treatment stages and tissue responses.
2Device complexity
If a single transducer array is used for both HIFU and imaging, then device complexity is reduced, but functional interference between modes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses rapid periodic switching between transmit and receive modes, ensuring that the transducer array is either transmitting HIFU energy or receiving imaging echoes at any given moment. This time-division approach eliminates functional interference by preventing simultaneous transmit-receive operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements preliminary biasing of the transducer elements to optimal states for either transmission or reception before mode switching occurs. This preliminary preparation minimizes transition time and prevents residual effects from one mode from interfering with the next mode.
3Measurement precision
If fast switching between HIFU and imaging modes is implemented, then real-time monitoring is improved, but switching losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic switching with optimized duty cycles that balance monitoring frequency against energy loss. By structuring the switching in regular periods with appropriate HIFU-on and imaging-on intervals, the system achieves real-time monitoring while minimizing the proportion of time spent in switching transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts switching parameters such as transition duration and frequency based on treatment phase and energy efficiency requirements. During critical ablation phases, switching frequency is reduced to minimize energy loss, while during monitoring-critical phases, switching frequency is increased despite higher losses.
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 real-time monitoring and adjustment of HIFU procedures, reducing damage to healthy tissue and improving the efficacy of target tissue ablation by using the same array for both HIFU and imaging, facilitating more precise and efficient tissue treatment.
Implementation Method 1
High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) may be used to ablate tissue of the human body
Implementation Method 2
The HIFU may be used, for example, to ablate benign and malignant tumors
Implementation Method 3
imaging bubbles generated during HIFU
Implementation Method 4
a bubble of the tissue using the array, the bubble being generated due to the HIFU applied to the tissue
Data Source
AI summary
Features for high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) are described. The application of HIFU for ablating tissue may be monitored in real time by imaging bubbles generated during HIFU. A single transducer array may be used by fast switching between imaging and HIFU. For imaging, the array or portions thereof may be used in receive only mode to locate bubbles generated by the HIFU. The application of HIFU, such as location and/or intensity, may be adjusted based on information from the imaging of the bubbles. Physicians and/or others may use these systems and methods to monitor HIFU procedures in real-time for optimal ablation of target tissue with minimal damage to healthy tissue.