US5643179A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for ultrasonic medical treatment with optimum ultrasonic irradiation control
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1994-12-28
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Granted: 1997-07-01
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Expires: 2014-12-28
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasonic medical treatment scheme for optimally controlling the irradiation energy of the intense ultrasonic waves. In this scheme, an ultrasonic energy of the ultrasonic waves irradiated at a tissue boundary surface such as a body surface is obtained, and at least one of the driving power and the irradiation time of the ultrasonic wave generation source in the applicator is controlled such that the ultrasonic energy at the tissue boundary surface becomes less than a prescribed threshold which is determined in view of an influence on the tissue boundary surface due to the ultrasonic waves. In addition, the ultrasonic energy of the ultrasonic waves irradiated at a focal point of the ultrasonic waves can also be obtained and the applicator can be controlled such that the ultrasonic energy at the focal point becomes greater than another prescribed threshold determined in view of a medical treatment effect at the focal point due to the ultrasonic waves at the same time.
Inventors
- 👤 Katsuhiko Fujimoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 07:13
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N7/00; A61N7/02; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00106
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
An ultrasonic medical treatment apparatus, comprising: an applicator having an ultrasonic wave generation source for irradiating ultrasonic waves to a treatment target portion within a body to be examined; energy obtaining means for obtaining an ultrasonic energy of the ultrasonic waves irradiated at a tissue boundary surface of the body to be examined; and control means for controlling the applicator such that the ultrasonic energy at the tissue boundary surface obtained by the energy obtaining means becomes less than a prescribed threshold.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
An ultrasonic medical treatment apparatus, comprising: an applicator having an ultrasonic wave generation source for irradiating ultrasonic waves to a treatment target portion within a body to be examined; energy obtaining means for obtaining an ultrasonic energy of the ultrasonic waves irradiated at a tissue boundary surface of the body to be examined; and control means for controlling the applicator such that the ultrasonic energy at the tissue boundary surface obtained by the energy obtaining means becomes less than a prescribed threshold.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control means uses the prescribed threshold which is determined in view of an influence on the tissue boundary surface due to the ultrasonic waves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control means uses the prescribed threshold which is determined as a limit for causing a damage on the tissue boundary surface due to heating by the ultrasonic waves.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy obtaining means obtains the ultrasonic energy of the ultrasonic waves irradiated at the tissue boundary surface which is a body surface of the body to be examined.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control means controls the applicator by controlling at least one of a driving power and an ultrasonic wave irradiation time of the ultrasonic wave generation source in the applicator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
94 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tissue boundary surface is a body surface of the body to be examined, and the control means controls the applicator by controlling at least one of a driving power and an ultrasonic wave irradiation time of the ultrasonic wave generation source in the applicator to satisfy the following condition: I.sub.S ×t.sub.S ×f<124 [MHz·J/cm.sup.2 ] where I S is an ultrasonic wave intensity at the body surface, t S is the ultrasonic wave irradiation time, and f is a frequency of the ultrasonic waves irradiated from the applicator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy obtaining means calculates the ultrasonic energy irradiated at the tissue boundary surface according to a focusing level, a frequency, and a focal point depth with respect to the tissue boundary surface of the ultrasonic waves irradiated from the applicator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy obtaining means also obtains an ultrasonic energy of the ultrasonic waves irradiated at a focal point of the ultrasonic waves, and the control means controls the applicator such that the ultrasonic energy at the tissue boundary surface obtained by the energy obtaining means becomes less than a first the prescribed threshold and the ultrasonic energy at the focal point obtained by the energy obtaining means becomes greater than another prescribed threshold.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the control means uses the prescribed threshold which is determined in view of an influence on the tissue boundary surface due to the ultrasonic waves and the another prescribed threshold which is determined in view of a medical treatment effect at the focal point due to the ultrasonic waves.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control means uses the prescribed threshold which is determined as a limit for causing a damage on the tissue boundary surface due to heating by the ultrasonic waves, and the another prescribed threshold which is determined as a limit for achieving a sufficient medical treatment effect on the treatment target portion located at the focal point of the ultrasonic waves.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of ultrasonic medical treatment, comprising the steps of: irradiating ultrasonic waves from an applicator having an ultrasonic wave generation source to a treatment target portion within a body to be examined; obtaining an ultrasonic energy of the ultrasonic waves irradiated at a tissue boundary surface of the body to be examined; and controlling the applicator such that the ultrasonic energy at the tissue boundary surface obtained at the obtaining step becomes less than a prescribed threshold.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
78 words
A method of ultrasonic medical treatment, comprising the steps of: irradiating ultrasonic waves from an applicator having an ultrasonic wave generation source to a treatment target portion within a body to be examined; obtaining an ultrasonic energy of the ultrasonic waves irradiated at a tissue boundary surface of the body to be examined; and controlling the applicator such that the ultrasonic energy at the tissue boundary surface obtained at the obtaining step becomes less than a prescribed threshold.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the prescribed threshold is determined in view of an influence on the tissue boundary surface due to the ultrasonic waves.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 12, wherein the prescribed threshold is determined as a limit for causing a damage on the tissue boundary surface due to heating by the ultrasonic waves.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the tissue boundary surface is a body surface of the body to be examined.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the controlling step controls the applicator by controlling at least one of a driving power and an ultrasonic wave irradiation time of the ultrasonic wave generation source in the applicator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
94 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the tissue boundary surface is a body surface of the body to be examined, and the controlling step controls the applicator by controlling at least one of a driving power and an ultrasonic wave irradiation time of the ultrasonic wave generation source in the applicator to satisfy the following condition: I.sub.S ×t.sub.S ×f<124 [MHz·J/cm.sup.2 ] where I S is an ultrasonic wave intensity at the body surface, t S is the ultrasonic wave irradiation time, and f is a frequency of the ultrasonic waves irradiated from the applicator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the obtaining step calculates the ultrasonic energy irradiated at the tissue boundary surface according to a focusing level, a frequency, and a focal point depth with respect to the tissue boundary surface of the ultrasonic waves irradiated from the applicator.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of claim 11, wherein the obtaining step also obtains an ultrasonic energy of the ultrasonic waves irradiated at a focal point of the ultrasonic waves, and the controlling step controls the applicator such that the ultrasonic energy at the tissue boundary surface obtained at the obtaining step becomes less than the prescribed threshold and the ultrasonic energy at the focal point obtained at the obtaining step becomes greater than another prescribed threshold.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 18, wherein the first prescribed threshold is determined in view of an influence on the tissue boundary surface due to the ultrasonic waves while the another prescribed threshold is determined in view of a medical treatment effect at the focal point due to the ultrasonic waves.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 19, wherein the prescribed threshold is determined as a limit for causing a damage on the tissue boundary surface due to heating by the ultrasonic waves, while the another prescribed threshold is determined as a limit for achieving a sufficient medical treatment effect on the treatment target portion located at the focal point of the ultrasonic waves.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-06-30 | 2000-12-30 | 2001-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-06-30 | 2004-12-30 | 2005-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-06-30 | 2008-12-30 | 2009-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |