Focused Ultrasound Apparatus and Methods of Use

Abstract

Methods for diagnosing a pathologic tissue membrane, as well as a focused ultrasound apparatus and methods of treatment are disclosed to perform ureterocele puncture noninvasively using focused ultrasound-generated cavitation or boiling bubbles to controllably erode a hole through the tissue. An example ultrasound apparatus may include (a) a therapy transducer having a treatment surface, wherein the therapy transducer comprises a plurality of electrically isolated sections, (b) at least one concave acoustic lens defining a therapy aperture in the treatment surface of the therapy transducer, (c) an imaging aperture defined by either the treatment surface of the therapy transducer or by the at least one concave acoustic lens and (d) an ultrasound imaging probe axially aligned with a central axis of the therapy aperture.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a pathologic tissue membrane, comprising:
 placing a coupling head of an ultrasound apparatus in contact with a subject's skin, wherein the subject or a subject's in utero fetus has a pathologic tissue membrane in need of puncturing, wherein the ultrasound apparatus comprises a therapy transducer having a treatment surface;   obtaining image feedback of the tissue via the ultrasound imaging probe;   aligning a focal point of the therapy transducer with the tissue based upon at least the image feedback;   directing an effective amount of focused ultrasound at the tissue via the therapy transducer; and   puncturing a hole in the tissue via the focused ultrasound.   
     
     
         2 . A method for diagnosing a pathologic tissue membrane, comprising:
 placing a coupling head of an ultrasound apparatus in contact with a subject's skin, wherein the ultrasound apparatus comprises (a) a therapy transducer having a treatment surface, wherein the therapy transducer comprises a plurality of electrically isolated sections, (b) at least one concave acoustic lens defining a therapy aperture in the treatment surface of the therapy transducer, (c) an imaging aperture defined by either the treatment surface of the therapy transducer or by the at least one concave acoustic lens and (d) an ultrasound imaging probe axially aligned with a central axis of the therapy aperture;   obtaining image feedback of a tissue via the ultrasound imaging probe; and   determining whether the subject or a subject's in utero fetus has a pathologic tissue membrane in need of puncturing.