Supersonic Imagine

Institut National De La Sante Et De La Recherche Medicale

Edap S.a.

Inserm

Yves Martin

Mathieu Pernot

Jean-Yves Chapelon

Olivier Nallet

François Varray

Laura Curiel

The invention concerns a device () for the insonification of an environment or medium, which is designed to generate a beam of focussed waves around a point in a so-called focus zone (), used for imaging the medium or changing the properties of the medium, with the insonification device () having an intrinsic or extrinsic support structure on which is installed a network of a predetermined number of ultrasound transducers () that are designed to be controlled independently for generation of the focussed wave beam. According to the invention, the transducers () used for the generation of the focussed wave beam are located in a homogeneous spatial distribution along at least two concentric spirals () that are wound onto a three-dimensional concave area () whose shape and size are chosen to allow optimal focusing of the beam at a predetermined focal length, and whose concave side is oriented toward the focus zone ().

Insonification device that includes a three-dimensional network of emitters arranged in at least two concentric spirals, which are designed to generate a beam of high-intensity focussed waves

The invention relates to an insonification device () comprising a plurality of elementary ultrasonic transducers () each comprising at least one electro-acoustic element () and distributed on a chassis () so that the electro-acoustic elements () are distributed on a so-called front surface (') of the device () intended to be placed facing the medium to be insonified. According to the invention, as each transducer () comprises a longitudinal body () made in a heat conducting material at the so-called front end of which the electro-acoustic element () is placed, the chassis () comprises a sealed cooling chamber () placed behind the front surface (&#x2032;), crossed by the bodies of the transducers () and intended to be gone through by a coolant fluid flow.

Insonification device having an internal cooling chamber

A therapeutic endocavity probe for treating tissues in particular of the prostate by emission of focused ultrasonic waves, including a support forming a guide tube extended by a mounting head for at least one therapy transducer component with an active surface emitting focused ultrasonic waves and having a spherical front of a total surface area in which a surface window is laid out for mounting an imaging transducer. According to the invention, the therapy transducer component has a front face having a total surface area equal to the sum of the active surface area equal to 1,500 mm&#xb1;200 mm, and of the surface area of the window for letting through the imaging transducer, the ratio of the surface area of the window over the active surface area of the therapy transducer component being less than or equal to 0.45.

Therapeutic endocavity probe comprising an image transducer integrated within the therapy ultrasonic transducer

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Beynost, France

Yves Martin