Transducer placement and registration for image-guided sonothrombolysis

Abstract

An apparatus for ultrasound irradiation of a body part () includes a first ultrasound transducer (), and a second ultrasound transducer () mounted oppositely, and is configured: a) such that at least two ultrasound receiving elements, for determining a relative orientation of the first to the second transducer, are attached to the first transducer; b) for a beam, from the first transducer, causing cavitation, and/or bubble destruction of systemically circulating microbubbles, within the body part; or c) both with the attached elements and for the causing. The apparatus registers, with said first transducer, the second transducer, by using as a reference respectively the features a) and/or b). A detachable subsystem includes either a therapy or imaging transducer, to form a combination imaging and therapy system, the subsystem being configured for removable coupling to correspondingly an imaging or therapy subsystem comprising a head frame () to which is mounted an imaging or therapy transducer, the imaging or therapy subsystem for registering the imaging or therapy transducer, one to the other, by the above method.