Medical system having an ultrasound source and an acoustic coupling medium

Abstract

An ultrasound medical system has an end effector including a medical ultrasound transducer and an acoustic coupling medium. The acoustic coupling medium has a transducer-proximal surface and a transducer-distal surface. The medical ultrasound transducer is positioned to emit medical ultrasound through the acoustic coupling medium from the transducer-proximal surface to the transducer-distal surface. The end effector is adapted to change a property (such as the shape and/or the temperature) of the acoustic coupling medium during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer during a medical procedure on a patient. In one example, such changes are used to change the focus and/or beam angle of the emitted ultrasound during the medical procedure.

1 . An ultrasound medical system comprising an end effector including a medical ultrasound transducer and an acoustic coupling medium, wherein the acoustic coupling medium has a transducer-proximal surface and a transducer-distal surface, wherein the medical ultrasound transducer is disposed to emit medical ultrasound through the acoustic coupling medium from the transducer-proximal surface to the transducer-distal surface, and wherein the end effector is adapted to change at least one property of the acoustic coupling medium during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer during a medical procedure on a patient. 
     
     
         2 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the at-least-one property includes shape, and wherein the end effector is adapted to change the shape of the transducer-distal surface during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer during the medical procedure. 
     
     
         3 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 2 , wherein the transducer-distal surface of the acoustic coupling medium is disposable in direct contact with patient tissue. 
     
     
         4 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 3 , wherein the end effector changes the pressure exerted by the acoustic coupling medium against the patient tissue when the transducer-distal surface of the acoustic coupling medium is disposed in direct contact with patient tissue during the medical procedure. 
     
     
         5 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 2 , wherein the end effector also includes an expandable acoustic window having an interior surface in direct contact with the transducer-distal surface of the acoustic coupling medium and having an exterior surface disposable in direct contact with patient tissue. 
     
     
         6 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 5 , wherein the end effector changes the pressure exerted by the acoustic coupling medium against the acoustic window when the exterior surface of the acoustic window is disposed in direct contact with patient tissue during the medical procedure. 
     
     
         7 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the at-least-one property includes temperature, and wherein the end effector is adapted to change the temperature of the acoustic coupling medium during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer during the medical procedure. 
     
     
         8 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the medical ultrasound transducer is chosen from the group consisting of a medical-imaging-only ultrasound transducer, a medical-treatment-only ultrasound transducer, and a medical-imaging-and-treatment ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         9 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the acoustic coupling medium is chosen from the group consisting of a liquid, a gel, and a colloid. 
     
     
         10 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector is disposable against an outside surface of the patient. 
     
     
         11 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the end effector is insertable into the patient. 
     
     
         12 . An ultrasound medical system comprising a controller and an end effector, wherein the end effector includes a medical ultrasound transducer and an acoustic coupling medium, wherein the acoustic coupling medium has a transducer-proximal surface and a transducer-distal surface, wherein the medical ultrasound transducer is disposed to emit medical ultrasound through the acoustic coupling medium from the transducer-proximal surface to the transducer-distal surface, wherein the end effector is adapted to change at least one property of the acoustic coupling medium during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer during a medical procedure on a patient, and wherein the controller controls the end effector to change the property to change ultrasound focus and/or ultrasound beam angle. 
     
     
         13 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 12 , wherein the at-least-one property includes shape, and wherein the end effector is adapted to change the shape of the transducer-distal surface during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer during the medical procedure. 
     
     
         14 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 12 , wherein the at-least-one property includes temperature, and wherein the end effector is adapted to change the temperature of the acoustic coupling medium during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer during the medical procedure. 
     
     
         15 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 12 , wherein the medical ultrasound transducer is chosen from the group consisting of a medical-imaging-only ultrasound transducer, a medical-treatment-only ultrasound transducer, and a medical-imaging-and-treatment ultrasound transducer. 
     
     
         16 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 12 , wherein the acoustic coupling medium is chosen from the group consisting of a liquid, a gel, and a colloid. 
     
     
         17 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 12 , wherein the end effector is disposable against an outside surface of the patient. 
     
     
         18 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 12 , wherein the end effector is insertable into the patient. 
     
     
         19 . An ultrasound medical system comprising a controller and an end effector, wherein the end effector includes a medical ultrasound transducer, an acoustic coupling medium, and a sheath, wherein the sheath includes an expandable acoustic window, wherein the acoustic coupling medium is disposed in direct contact with the medical ultrasound transducer and the acoustic window, wherein the medical ultrasound transducer is disposed to emit medical ultrasound through the acoustic window via the acoustic coupling medium, and wherein the controller controls the end effector to change the shape of the acoustic window, by changing the pressure exerted by the acoustic coupling medium against the acoustic window, during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer during a medical procedure on a patient. 
     
     
         20 . The ultrasound medical system of  claim 19 , wherein the controller controls the end effector to change the thickness of the acoustic window, by changing the pressure exerted by the acoustic coupling medium against the acoustic window, during emission, and/or between emissions, of medical ultrasound from the medical ultrasound transducer during a medical procedure on a patient.