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

A dual mode ultrasound transducer system comprising:

• an array of ultrasound transducer elements, the ultrasound transducer elements configured to deliver one or more therapy shots, each therapy shot comprising 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
• a control apparatus comprising:
• means for controlling conveyance of imaging signals to/from one or more of the array of ultrasound transducer elements;
• means for generating 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 array of ultrasound elements;
• means for generating therapy signals to drive one or more of the array 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, wherein each of the sequential therapy bursts is defined to produce a response at one or more target points within the target region, wherein the therapy bursts are spaced by a duration of less than 10 milliseconds;
• means for generating control image data based on imaging signals from one or more of the array of ultrasound transducer elements;
• means for estimating a cavitation threshold in situ at the one or more target points using an estimated focal pressure and treatment region image data;
• and
• means for designing therapeutic pulses to be generated based on the estimated focal pressure and treatment region image data.

A method for a dual mode ultrasound transducer system comprising:

• controlling conveyance of imaging signals to/from one or more of an array of ultrasound transducer elements;
• generating 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 array of ultrasound elements;
• generating therapy signals to drive one or more of the array 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, wherein each of the sequential therapy bursts is defined to produce a response at one or more target points within the target region, wherein the therapy bursts are spaced by a duration of less than 10 milliseconds;
• generating control image data based on imaging signals from one or more of the array of ultrasound transducer elements;
• estimating a cavitation threshold in situ at the one or more target points using an estimated focal pressure and treatment region image data;
• and
• designing therapeutic pulses to be generated based on the estimated focal pressure and treatment region image data.