Ultrasound Microbubble Regulation via Tissue Sensitivity Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
During focused ultrasound procedures, microbubbles can cause unintended damage to healthy tissue due to their non-linear response to ultrasound energy, and conventional methods to clear them either prolong the procedure or risk further tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
A tissue-sensitivity map is created to identify regions sensitive to microbubble cavitation, allowing for targeted reduction or elimination of microbubbles in less sensitive areas, thereby minimizing damage to healthy tissue while maintaining procedure efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If microbubbles are left in the target region after focusing procedure, then the focusing properties are improved, but the tissue damage increases due to non-linear response and cavitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes microbubbles from the target region after they have served their focusing purpose. The system uses a second ultrasound transducer to detect microbubble locations and a first transducer to apply cavitation forces that eliminate microbubbles from sensitive regions, thereby separating the focusing function from the harmful cavitation effect
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality treatments to different spatial regions. The tissue sensitivity map identifies regions with varying sensitivity to cavitation, and the system selectively eliminates microbubbles only in high-sensitivity regions while preserving them in low-sensitivity regions, thereby applying local quality control to minimize overall tissue damage
2Object-affected harmful factors
If ultrasound procedure is suspended to allow microbubbles to dissipate naturally, then the tissue damage is reduced, but the procedure duration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary elimination of microbubbles from the target region before the main treatment procedure begins. By using the tissue sensitivity map to identify and clear microbubbles from high-sensitivity regions in advance, the system prevents future tissue damage without requiring procedure suspension or extended waiting time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the natural dissipation process (passive mechanical system) with an active controlled elimination process. Instead of waiting for microbubbles to dissipate naturally over time, the system uses ultrasound-induced cavitation to actively remove microbubbles, thereby reducing procedure duration while maintaining tissue safety
3Loss of time
If low-energy sonications are applied to eliminate microbubbles, then the procedure duration is reduced, but the cavitation-induced damage to non-target tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality control by using the tissue sensitivity map to identify regions with low sensitivity to cavitation. The system selectively targets microbubbles in these low-sensitivity non-target regions for elimination, thereby enabling aggressive microbubble removal without causing damage to sensitive tissues
Solution Approach 2:
The tissue sensitivity map serves as an intermediary that guides the microbubble elimination process. The map provides spatial information about tissue vulnerability, allowing the system to intelligently select which microbubbles to eliminate and where to apply cavitation forces, thereby mediating between the need for rapid microbubble removal and the need to avoid tissue damage
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 effectively reduces microbubble-induced damage by strategically clearing microbubbles in regions with lower sensitivity scores, allowing for safer and more efficient ultrasound treatments without prolonging the procedure.
Implementation Method 1
the generated acoustic beam causes cavitation of microbubbles in the selected region(s)
Data Source
AI summary
Various approaches for regulating microbubbles in a treatment procedure for a target include generating a tissue-sensitivity map including multiple regions, at least one of the regions being outside the target region, the tissue-sensitivity map assigning, to each of the regions, a sensitivity level indicative of tissue sensitivity to the interaction between the microbubbles and an acoustic beam; select one or more interaction regions based at least in part on the tissue-sensitivity map; and activating the ultrasound transducer so as to generate the acoustic beam for interacting with the microbubbles in the selection interaction region(s) in the tissue-sensitivity map, thereby indirectly changing a characteristic of the microbubbles at the target region.