The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 25, 2012
Filed:
Nov. 15, 2010
Shahram Vaezy, Seattle, WA (US);
Arthur H. Chan, Plano, TX (US);
Victor Y. Fujimoto, San Francisco, CA (US);
Donald E. Moore, Seattle, WA (US);
Roy W. Martin, Anacortes, WA (US);
Shahram Vaezy, Seattle, WA (US);
Arthur H. Chan, Plano, TX (US);
Victor Y. Fujimoto, San Francisco, CA (US);
Donald E. Moore, Seattle, WA (US);
Roy W. Martin, Anacortes, WA (US);
University of Washington, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
A plurality of concepts related to HIFU therapy are disclosed, including a technique to spatially track and display the relative positions of a HIFU focal point and an imaging plane from an ultrasound imager, so that a clinician can ensure that the HIFU focus remains in the image plane during HIFU therapy, thereby facilitating image guided HIFU therapy. Also disclosed are a plurality of transvaginal probes that include a HIFU transducer optimized for the treatment of uterine fibroids. In one embodiment, the probe includes a piezoceramic crystal bonded to an aluminum lens, to achieve a HIFU transducer having a focal length of about 4 cm. In another embodiment, the probe includes a generally spoon-shaped transducer including a plurality of individual emitter elements. Still another concept disclosed herein is a method for evaluating a quality of a coupling between a liquid-filled volume encompassing a HIFU transducer and a tissue interface.