Ultrasound Transducer Array for Combined Tissue Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasound devices only treat specific portions of tissue at a certain depth, sparing intervening tissues which limits their overall efficacy in treating conditions like acne and other skin issues.
Innovation Solution
A system that applies ultrasound energy with varying spatial and temporal characteristics to treat multiple areas and depths of tissue simultaneously, ensuring no tissue is spared from treatment, using a transducer with multiple transduction elements emitting energy at different frequencies and durations to create a combined energy profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If ultrasound energy is applied to treat tissue at a specific depth, then the treatment effect at that depth is improved, but the intervening tissue is spared and not treated, limiting overall efficacy
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasound transducer is divided into multiple independently controllable elements arranged in an array. Each element can be activated separately to target specific depth zones, allowing the system to segment the treatment into multiple depth layers rather than treating only a single focal depth, thereby eliminating the sparing of intervening tissues
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the tissue at different depths are treated with locally optimized ultrasound parameters. The system applies different energy levels, frequencies, and pulse durations to different depth zones based on the specific treatment requirements of each layer, ensuring that each local region receives appropriate treatment while eliminating the uniform treatment approach that spares intervening tissues
2Power
If ultrasound energy is applied with high intensity to treat tissue, then the thermal and mechanical effects are enhanced, but energy usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasound system employs pulsed energy delivery with optimized pulse durations and interval timing. By using periodic pulsed action rather than continuous high-intensity energy application, the system achieves enhanced thermal and mechanical effects during the pulse periods while allowing tissue cooling and energy recovery during intervals, thereby improving treatment efficacy without proportionally increasing overall energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple transducer elements are activated in a coordinated sequence to maintain continuous treatment coverage across different depth zones. As one element completes its treatment cycle, another element begins, ensuring that useful therapeutic action continues without interruption across the entire treatment volume, maximizing energy utilization efficiency
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 increases the temperature and mechanical effects throughout the treated region, enhancing the treatment of conditions like acne by targeting multiple tissue depths and increasing blood perfusion, thereby improving treatment efficacy and reducing energy usage.
Implementation Method 1
The effect can be ablative, coagulative, non-ablative, or non-coagulative and is generally caused by the thermal and/or mechanical properties that ultrasound has on tissue. Thermal properties increase the temperature of the tissue at the region of interest
Implementation Method 2
The mechanical effects are achieved by cavitation, streaming, radiation force, and other natural mechanical effects of ultrasound
Implementation Method 3
The mechanical effects are achieved by cavitation, streaming, radiation force, and other natural mechanical effects of ultrasound
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A method and system for treating tissue with a combined therapy profile is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, ultrasound energy is used to treat numerous depths of tissue within a region of interest and the spatial and temporal properties of the ultrasound energy are varied for more effective treatment. The method and system of the present invention are configured to treat all of the tissue from the surface on down and not spare intervening tissue.