Ultrasonic therapy applicator and method of determining position of ultrasound transducers
Inventors
Kurtz, Ron • Mahon, Cameron • Donaldson, Sean
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-11957937-B2
Publication Date
2024-04-16
Expiration Date
Abstract
An apparatus is disclosed for thermal therapy in a male prostate patient. The apparatus includes a long tubular element that is to be inserted into a patient's urethra so that a first tip end of it reaches up into the patient's diseased prostate. The elongated portion includes a narrow cylindrical tube within which an ultrasonic array is disposed along the long axis of the cylinder. Fluid is pumped into and out of a treatment zone of said patient as needed to control a temperature of a region in said treatment zone. A motorized driver is used to controllably rotate said elongated portion and the ultrasound array therein about the long axis of the apparatus so as to deliver acoustic energy to said diseased tissue. Various control and monitoring components may be used in conjunction with the present apparatus to design, control, and terminate the therapy.
Core Innovation
An MRI-compatible image-guided trans-urethral ultrasound thermal therapy applicator is provided for prostate treatment in a subject. The applicator includes a motorized mechanism that rotates an elongated shaft having an internal ultrasound array, and fluid inflow/outflow to provide cooling during thermal therapy. The applicator further includes an elongated transducer support formed on a printed circuit board disposed in the applicator.
The transducer support includes an air-backed outward radiation structure using epoxy-defined gaps, and fiducial-marker structures to enable MRI-based three-dimensional localization of ultrasound transducer position. The fiducial-marker structures include proximal and distal MRI-visible markers, an acoustic window/line on a tube disposed in a cylindrical shaft opaque to ultrasound, and a water-filled fiducial cavity.
A controller rotates the thermal therapy applicator disposed in the subject so that the acoustic window is oriented in a predetermined direction, then acquires a three-dimensional image with a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. The controller automatically identifies at least first and second fiducial markers in a first plane and at least a third fiducial marker in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane, and uses the first, second, and third fiducial markers to automatically determine the position of ultrasound transducers coupled to a printed circuit board disposed in the tube.
Claims Coverage
The document includes one independent claim directed to a method of determining ultrasound transducer position using MRI-based three-dimensional imaging with rotation-dependent fiducial identification. The independent claim contains multiple inventive features.
Rotating for acoustic-window orientation for MRI-based localization
Rotating the thermal therapy applicator disposed in a subject so that an acoustic window is oriented in a predetermined direction before acquiring imaging.
MRI acquiring a three-dimensional image including the rotated applicator
Acquiring a three-dimensional image of the subject, including the rotated thermal therapy applicator, with a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus.
Automatically identifying first and second fiducial markers in a first plane
Automatically identifying at least first and second fiducial markers in a first plane, with the ultrasound transducers between the first and second fiducial markers.
Automatically identifying an orthogonal third fiducial marker in a second plane
Automatically identifying at least a third fiducial marker in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane.
Acoustic-window-defined third fiducial marker in a tube opaque to ultrasound
The third fiducial marker comprises a length of the acoustic window defined in a tube disposed in a cylindrical shaft of the thermal therapy applicator, the tube is opaque to ultrasound, and the ultrasound transducers are disposed in the tube.
Automatically determining transducer position using orthogonal fiducial markers with PCB-coupled transducers
Using the at least first, second, and third fiducial markers to automatically determine the position of the ultrasound transducers, wherein the ultrasound transducers are coupled to a printed circuit board disposed in the tube.
Overall, the claim coverage centers on automatically determining ultrasound transducer position by rotating the applicator to orient an acoustic window, acquiring a three-dimensional MRI image, and identifying orthogonally disposed fiducial markers, including a third fiducial marker defined by the acoustic-window length in a tube opaque to ultrasound, with transducers coupled to a printed circuit board.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
Interested in licensing this patent?