Ultrasonic imaging and energy delivery device and method

Inventors

Taffler, Sean

Assignees

Acoustiic Inc

Abstract

An ultrasonic device includes a driving circuit to provide drive power, a first transducer array to generate ultrasonic waves, the first transducer array being connected to receive power from the driving circuit, and a second transducer array to detect reflected or elicited ultrasonic waves incident on the device from a target and generate a signal based on those waves, the second transducer array being acoustically transmissive and disposed over the first transducer array such that the generated ultrasonic waves pass through the second transducer array. The second array is tuned to operate on top of the first. The functions of the two arrays may be reversed and the array tuned to operate with the first array receiving and the second array transmitting.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to an ultrasonic device for ultrasonic therapy and ultrasonic imaging that uses two acoustically transmissive, stacked transducer arrays. A first transducer array generates ultrasonic waves toward a target, while a second transducer array disposed over the first detects reflected or elicited ultrasonic waves traveling toward the ultrasonic device from the target. The second transducer array is acoustically transmissive so that the generated ultrasonic waves pass through it, and the second array generates a signal based on detected ultrasonic waves for imaging or material property determination.

A key structural aspect is that transducer elements that form the second transducer array are arranged in a repeating pattern comprising four transducer elements disposed substantially over a single transducer element of transducer elements that form the first transducer array. The invention also supports therapeutic-plus-lower-energy imaging pulse sequencing, including using a therapeutic energy pulse and a lower-energy ultrasonic imaging wave. Reflected or elicited waves are detected by the second transducer array and used to create digital images of a target region and/or determine a material property of the target.

The disclosed configuration further addresses inter-array coupling, thermal-conductivity management, and frequency/steering/sensitivity tailoring between transmit and receive elements. In particular, an optional matching/dematching layer is described as enabling transmission at therapeutic ultrasound frequencies while impeding or reflecting incident frequencies so that the transmit array is protected. The receive versus transmit behavior can be tuned using different frequency bands, different sensitivities, and geometric relationships such as reduced receive transducer element size and pitch, while interleaved/combined-array alternatives and compatibility considerations for MRI-guided HIFU are described.

Claims Coverage

The document contains two independent claims: one for an ultrasonic device and one for a method of conducting ultrasonic therapy or ultrasonic imaging. Across these independents, the inventive coverage centers on a stacked acoustically transmissive receive array over a transmit array, specific repeating element mapping, and creating image and/or material-property outputs from detected reflected or elicited waves, with optional pulse sequencing and further refinements stated in dependent claims.

Overall claim coverage is directed to a stacked transmit/receive ultrasonic architecture with an acoustically transmissive receive array, where detection of reflected or elicited waves from the target is converted into a signal used for either digital image creation or material property determination, and where the second-array elements follow a repeating four-over-one arrangement relative to the first-array elements.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications