Laparoscopic hifu probe

Abstract

A high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of tissue using minimally invasive medical procedures is provided.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method of providing high intensity focused ultrasound therapy to a treatment zone comprising:
 positioning a transducer in relation to a target tissue region of a patient, wherein the transducer is configured to provide HIFU therapy;   energizing the transducer to provide HIFU therapy at a focal point within a treatment zone;   operating a computer to calculate a path of movement of the transducer;   further operating the computer to move the transducer along the path; and   energizing the transducer to provide HIFU therapy into the treatment zone while the transducer is moving along the path, thereby treating contiguous portions of tissue with HIFU.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising inputting into the computer information identifying the location of the target tissue region inside the patient, the computer utilizing the information to calculate the path. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
 operating the transducer in an imaging mode;   acquiring an image of the target tissue region of the patient;   at least in part from the results of the image, determining that the tissue in the treatment zone should be treated; and   fine tuning the position of the transducer relative to the target tissue region by software controls.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the image is provided on a display. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the inputting of the information identifying the location of the target tissue region includes positioning and resizing a treatment zone to cover the target tissue region. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the path of movement of the transducer covers the entire treatment zone. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the path of movement of the transducer has a trajectory which has equal trace spacing and is substantially uniform throughout the treatment zone. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the transducer is continuously moving at a constant speed and continuously applying HIFU to the treatment zone. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the computer provides a user with feedback during the treatment and the feedback is provided on a display. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the computer changes the path of the transducer at an angle of about 90 degrees if the path hits a boundary edge of the treatment zone defined by a user. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the transducer ceases to apply HIFU to the treatment zone upon the occurrence of two consecutive out-of-bounds readings prior to completion of the transducer's movement along the path prior to the completion of a move. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the computer implements “intelligent” checking to reduce treatment interruptions due to single errors. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the computer performs a check to verify that the distance to a destination of the transducer is decreasing. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the computer performs safety checks and recovery algorithms. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of providing to a user an image update of the target tissue region during treatment. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for providing high intensity focused ultrasound therapy to a treatment zone comprising:
 a transducer which is positionable relative to the target tissue region of a patient, wherein the transducer is configured to provide HIFU therapy;   a servomechanism connected to the transducer configured to move the transducer along a path in a treatment zone;   a computer connected to the servomechanism and configured to determine the path and controlling the servomechanism to move the transducer along the path,   the computer configured to have the transducer continuously apply HIFU therapy into the treatment zone while the transducer is moving along at least a portion of the path.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising at least one input peripheral connected to the computer for enabling a user to input into the computer information identifying the location of the target tissue region inside the patient, the computer utilizing the information to calculate the path. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the input peripheral includes a touch-sensitive display screen. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a transducer having an imaging mode, the computer configured to operate the transducer in the imaging mode and capable of acquiring an image of the target tissue region of the patient, and a display for displaying the images.