# US 10,864,136 B2 · Medical apparatus for treating cells with vibrations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,136 B2 - Document ID: US10864136B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/023,710 - Filed: 2014-09-23 - Published: 2016-08-11 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-23 - Assignees: Koninklijke Philips N.V.; Institut National de la Sante de la Recherche Medicale - Applicants: Koninklijke Philips N.V.; Institut National De La Sante De La Recherche Medicale (Inserm) - Inventors: Philippe Francois Thierry Garteiser; Leon Christiaan Terbeek; Ralph Roman Sinkus; Sabrina Nicole Dolorès Doblas; Simon Auguste Lambert; Valérie Paradis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864136B2 ## CPC - A61H 23/0218: {with alternating magnetic fields producing a translating or oscillating movement} - A61B 5/055: involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging - A61H 23/02: with electric or magnetic drive - A61H 23/04: with hydraulic or pneumatic drive {(hydraulic or Pneumatic massages, A61H9/00; underwater massages, A61H33/00)} - A61H 2201/165: Wearable interfaces - A61H 2201/5033: having a fixed single program - A61H 2230/00: Measuring physical parameters of the user - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract The invention provides for a medical apparatus (100, 200, 300) for treating cells of a subject comprising at least one transducer (102, 224) with a vibrating surface (116). The transducer further comprises an applicator (118, 600) for attaching the vibrating surface to an outer surface of the subject (108, 218). The transducer is operable to vibrate at a frequency between 10 Hz and 1000 Hz. The medical apparatus further comprises a controller (104, 222, 230) for controlling the vibration of the transducer. The controller is operable for causing the transducer to vibrate for greater than a predetermined period of time for treating the cells. The predetermined period of time is greater than one hour. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A medical apparatus for treating cells of a subject comprising at least one transducer with a vibrating surface, wherein the transducer further comprises an applicator for attaching the vibrating surface to an outer surface of the subject, wherein the transducer is operable to vibrate at a frequency between 10 Hz and 1000 Hz, wherein the medical apparatus further comprises a controller for controlling the vibration of the transducer, wherein the controller is operable for causing the transducer to vibrate for greater than a predetermined period of time for treating the cells, wherein the predetermined period of time is greater than one hour, wherein the controller controls the vibration to provide a shear strain value greater than a first predetermined value in a target zone and shear strain value less than a second predetermined value outside the target zone, and wherein the second predetermined value is less than the first predetermined value, wherein the controller is operable for controlling at least one of a vibrational phase or amplitude of the at least one transducer, wherein the controller comprises a processor, wherein the medical apparatus further comprises: a memory for storing machine executable instructions and a first pulse sequence, wherein the first pulse sequence is a motion sensitive pulse sequence, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to: receive target data descriptive of the location of a target zone within the subject; individually vibrate the at least one transducers using the controller; acquire first magnetic resonance data during the vibration of at least one transducer using the first pulse sequence; calculate a vibration map for the at least one transducer using the first magnetic resonance data, wherein the vibration map is descriptive of the phase and shear strain value of vibrations caused by the at least one transducer within the subject; calculate transducer control data to control the at least one transducer to cause a shear strain value of at least a first predetermined value within at least part of the target zone and a shear strain value less than a second predetermined value outside of the target zone using the vibration map for the at least one transducer; and control the at least one transducer with the transducer control data using the controller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to: acquire further magnetic resonance data during control of the at least one transducer with the transducer control data using a magnetic resonance imaging system with the first pulse sequence; calculate a further vibration map using the further magnetic resonance data; and halt vibration of the at least one transducer if the shear strain value is below the first predetermined value within at least part of the target zone or is greater than the second predetermined value outside of the target zone. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory stores a second pulse sequence, wherein the second pulse sequence is an imaging pulse sequence, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to: acquire image magnetic resonance data of the subject using the magnetic resonance imaging system using the second pulse sequence; reconstruct an image using the image magnetic resonance data; and locate the target zone within the image using an image recognition module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer comprises multiple transducers, and the controller is operable for individually adjusting the vibration frequency of the multiple transducers, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to repeat the individual vibration of the multiple transducers using the controller and acquisition of the first magnetic resonance data using multiple transducer frequencies, wherein the vibration map is a multi-frequency vibration map, wherein calculating the transducer control data comprises selecting the frequency for the multiple transducers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer comprises multiple transducers, and the controller is operable for individually adjusting, the vibrational amplitude and phase of the multiple transducers, and wherein calculating the transducer control data comprises individually selecting a vibrational amplitude and phase for the multiple transducers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a magnet for generating a main magnetic field, wherein the at least one transducer are operable for functioning within and outside of the main magnetic field. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the medical instrument comprises a subject support, wherein the subject support is operable for removing the subject, the controller, and the at least one transducer from the magnetic resonance imaging system during the predetermined period of time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer are electromagnetically driven transducers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined value is greater than or equal to any one of the following: 0.1%, 1%, 2%, and 5%; and wherein the second predetermined value is less than or equal to 0.05%. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one transducer is a single transducer, wherein the applicator is operable for attaching the vibrating surface to skin, and wherein the vibrating surface has a surface area less than 0.25 square centimeters. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The medical apparatus of claim 10, wherein the frequency is between 200 and 1000 Hz. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The medical apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined period of time is greater than 1.5 hours, the shear strain in the target zone is sufficient to cause apoptosis, and the shear strain outside of the target zone is not sufficient to cause apoptosis. ### Claim 13 A computer program product comprising machine executable instructions for execution by a controller for controlling a medical apparatus for treating cells of a subject, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to: receive target data descriptive of the location of a target zone within the subject; individually vibrate a plurality of transducers using the controller; acquire first magnetic resonance data during the vibration of the plurality of transducers using the first pulse sequence and a magnetic resonance imaging system; calculate a vibration map for the plurality of transducers using the first magnetic resonance data, wherein the vibration map is descriptive of the phase and shear strain value of vibrations caused by individually vibrating the plurality of transducers within the subject; calculate transducer control data to control the plurality of transducers to cause a shear strain value of at least a first predetermined value within at least part of the target zone and less than a second predetermined value outside of the target zone using the vibration map for the plurality of transducers; and control the plurality of transducers with the transducer control data using the controller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer program product of claim 13, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to: acquire further magnetic resonance data during control of the plural transducers with the transducer control data using the magnetic resonance imaging system with the first pulse sequence; calculate a further vibration map using the further magnetic resonance data; and halt vibration of the plurality of transducers if the shear strain value is below the first predetermined value within at least part of the target zone or is greater than the second predetermined value outside of the target zone. ### Claim 15 A method for treating cells of a subject using a medical apparatus comprising at least one transducer with a vibrating surface, wherein the transducer further comprises an applicator for attaching the vibrating surface to an outer surface of the subject, wherein the transducer is operable to vibrate at a frequency between 10 Hz and 1000 Hz, wherein the method comprises the steps of: applying the at least one transducer to an external surface of the subject, controlling the at least one transducer to vibrate for greater than a predetermined period of time to treat the cells, wherein the predetermined time is greater than one hour and wherein the vibration provides a shear strain value greater than a first predetermined value in a target zone and shear strain value less than a second predetermined value outside the target zone wherein the second predetermined value is less than the first predetermine value; receiving target data descriptive of the location of the target zone within the subject; individually vibrating the at least one transducers using the controller; acquiring first magnetic resonance data during the vibration of the at least one transducer using a first pulse sequence; calculating a vibration map for the at least one transducer using the first magnetic resonance data, wherein the vibration map is descriptive of the phase and shear strain value of vibrations caused by the at least one transducer within the subject; calculate transducer control data to control the at least one transducer to cause a shear strain value of at least a first predetermined value within at least part of the target zone and less than a second predetermined value outside of the target zone using the vibration map for the at least one transducer; and control the at least one transducer with the transducer control data using the controller. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of: acquiring further magnetic resonance data during control of the at least one transducer with the transducer control data using a magnetic resonance imaging system with the first pulse sequence; calculate a further vibration map using the further magnetic resonance data; and halt vibration of the at least one transducer if the shear strain value is below the first predetermined value within at least part of the target zone or is greater than the second predetermined value outside of the target zone. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one transducer comprises multiple transducers, the method further comprising the steps of: Individually adjusting the vibration frequency of the multiple transducers, repeating the individual vibration of the multiple transducers using the controller, and acquiring the first magnetic resonance data using multiple transducer frequencies, wherein the vibration map is a multi-frequency vibration map, wherein calculating the transducer control data comprises selecting the frequency for the multiple transducers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one transducer comprises multiple transducers, the method further comprising the step of: Individually adjusting the vibrational amplitude and phase of the multiple transducers, wherein calculating the transducer control data comprises individually selecting a vibrational amplitude and phase for the multiple transducers.