Dual mode ultrasound transducer (dmut) system and method for controlling delivery of ultrasound therapy

Abstract

A dual-mode ultrasound system provides real-time imaging and therapy delivery using the same transducer elements of a transducer array. The system may use a multichannel driver to drive the elements of the array. The system uses a real-time monitoring and feedback image control of the therapy based on imaging data acquired using the dual-mode ultrasound array (DMUA) of transducer elements. Further, for example, multimodal coded excitation may be used in both imaging and therapy modes. Still further, for example, adaptive, real-time refocusing for improved imaging and therapy can be achieved using, for example, array directivity vectors obtained from DMUA pulse-echo data.

1 . A dual mode ultrasound transducer system comprising:
 an array of ultrasound transducer elements, the ultrasound transducer elements configured to deliver a plurality of sequential therapy bursts of ultrasonic energy to at least a portion of a target region and to transmit/receive imaging ultrasonic energy to/from the target region; and   control apparatus configured to:
 control conveyance of imaging signals to/from one or more of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements; 
 generate treatment region image data usable to identify at least one or more target points within a target region based on imaging signals conveyed to/from one or more of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements; 
 generate therapy signals to drive one or more of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements to deliver a plurality of sequential therapy bursts of ultrasonic energy to at least one of the one or more target points in the target region; and 
 generate control image data based on imaging signals from one or more of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements during and/or following delivery of each therapy burst of a plurality of sequential therapy bursts, wherein the control image data generated during and/or following delivery of a therapy burst is used to generate therapy signals to drive one or more of the plurality of ultrasound transducer elements to deliver a subsequent therapy burst of the plurality of sequential therapy bursts. 
   
     
     
         2 - 63 . (canceled)