Image guided high intensity focused ultrasound treatment of nerves

Abstract

A method for using high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to treat neurological structures to achieve a desired therapeutic effect. Depending on the dosage of HIFU applied, it can have a reversible or irreversible effect on neural structures. For example, a relatively high dose of HIFU can be used to permanently block nerve function, to provide a non-invasive alternative to severing a nerve to treat severe spasticity. Relatively lower doses of HIFU can be used to reversibly block nerve function, to alleviate pain, to achieve an anesthetic effect, or to achieve a cosmetic effect. Where sensory nerves are not necessary for voluntary function, but are involved in pain associated with tumors or bone cancer, HIFU can be used to non-invasively destroy such sensory nerves to alleviate pain without drugs. Preferably, ultrasound imaging synchronized to the HIFU therapy is used to provide real-time ultrasound image guided HIFU therapy of neural structures.

It is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for imaging a peripheral nerve, the method comprising the steps of: (a) positioning an ultrasound imaging device in the vicinity of a treatment site of a patient, wherein the treatment site comprises the peripheral nerve; and (b) imaging the treatment site comprising the peripheral nerve, thereby generating an ultrasound image in which the peripheral nerve is displayed. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of imaging the treatment site comprising the peripheral nerve is performed in real-time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of imaging the treatment site comprising the peripheral nerve using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of relating the treatment site comprising the peripheral nerve to a three dimensional (3D) reference point. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging ultrasound comprises three dimensional (3D) ultrasound. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the imaging ultrasound comprises two dimensional (2D) ultrasound. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound imaging device is disposed external to the patient. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ultrasound imaging device is disposed inside a body of the patient. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing therapy to the treatment site comprising the peripheral nerve. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of providing therapy to the treatment site comprising the peripheral nerve comprises the step of administering a dose of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to the treatment site comprising the peripheral nerve. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a HIFU transducer used to administer the dose of HIFU to the treatment site comprising the peripheral nerve and the treatment site in the ultrasound image are related to a common 3D spatial coordinate. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of utilizing a magnetic sensor to relate the HIFU transducer and the ultrasound image to the common 3D spatial coordinate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of relating a focal point of a HIFU transducer used to administer the dose of HIFU to the treatment site comprising the peripheral nerve to a 3D spatial coordinate in the ultrasound image. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of relating the focal point of the HIFU transducer to the 3D spatial coordinate comprises the step of utilizing a magnetic sensor to track a position of the HIFU transducer and an ultrasound imaging transducer used to generate the ultrasound image.