Optimization of transducer configurations in ultrasound procedures

A system for delivering ultrasound energy to a target region, the system comprising:

• an ultrasound transducer comprising a plurality of transducer elements for generating a focal zone of acoustic energy at the target region, wherein each of the plurality of transducer elements is partitioned into a plurality of contiguous sub-regions having a common directionality;
• at least one driver circuit connected to the plurality of transducer elements;
• a switch matrix comprising a plurality of switches for switchably connecting the plurality of sub-regions of each of the plurality of transducer elements to the driver circuit, each of the plurality of sub-regions being associated with one of the plurality of switches;
• at least one imaging system for measuring a spatial configuration of the target region with respect to the transducer;
• and
• a controller configured to, for each of the plurality of transducer elements and based at least in part on the measured spatial configuration, activate at least one but fewer than all of the plurality of switches in the switch matrix to thereby cause a corresponding sub-region of a corresponding transducer element to transmit ultrasound pulses to the target region at a steering angle greater than 25°, the ultrasound pulses having peak intensities higher than generated by activation of an entirety of the corresponding transducer element.

A system for delivering ultrasound energy to a target region, the system comprising:

• an ultrasound transducer comprising a plurality of transducer elements for generating a focal zone of acoustic energy at the target region, wherein (i) at least one of the plurality of transducer elements is partitioned into a plurality of contiguous sub-regions having a common directionality and (ii) a number, shape, and directionality of subregions of a first of the plurality of transducer elements is different from a number, shape, and directionality of subregions of another of the plurality of transducer elements;
• at least one driver circuit connected to at least one of the plurality of transducer elements;
• a switch matrix comprising a plurality of switches for switchably connecting the plurality of sub-regions of the at least one of the plurality of transducer elements to the driver circuit, each of the plurality of sub-regions being associated with one of the plurality of switches;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• (a) determine an optimal sonication frequency for maximizing a peak acoustic intensity in the focal zone;
• and
• (b) based at least in part on the determined optimal sonication frequency, activate at least one but fewer than all of the plurality of switches in the switch matrix to thereby cause a corresponding sub-region of a corresponding transducer element to transmit ultrasound pulses to the target region at a steering angle greater than 25°, the ultrasound pulses having peak intensities higher than generated by activation of an entirety of the corresponding transducer element.

A system for delivering ultrasound energy to a target region, the system comprising:

• an ultrasound transducer comprising a plurality of transducer elements for generating a focal zone of acoustic energy at the target region, wherein (i) at least one of the plurality of transducer elements is partitioned into a plurality of contiguous sub-regions having a common directionality and (ii) a number, shape, and directionality of subregions of a first of the plurality of transducer elements is different from a number, shape, and directionality of subregions of another of the plurality of transducer elements;
• at least one driver circuit connected to at least one of the plurality of transducer elements;
• a switch matrix comprising a plurality of switches for switchably connecting the plurality of sub-regions of the at least one of the plurality of transducer elements to the driver circuit, each of the plurality of sub-regions being associated with one of the plurality of switches;
• at least one imaging system for measuring a spatial configuration of the target region with respect to the transducer;
• and
• a controller configured to, based at least in part on the measured spatial configuration, activate at least one but fewer than all of the plurality of switches in the switch matrix to thereby cause a corresponding sub-region of a corresponding transducer element to transmit ultrasound pulses to the target region at a steering angle greater than 25°, the ultrasound pulses having peak intensities higher than generated by activation of an entirety of the corresponding transducer element.