Transrectal ultrasound probe for boiling histotripsy ablation of prostate, and associated systems and methods

A method for a transrectal ultrasound treatment using high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), the method comprising:

• generating boiling histotripsy (BH) therapy ultrasound by a therapy transducer operating in a frequency range of 1 MHz to 2.8 MHz and having a surface intensity of the therapy transducer in a range of 10 W/cm2 to 80 W/cm2, wherein the therapy transducer is about 50 mm long and about 35 mm wide;
• applying the therapy ultrasound by directing a plurality of ultrasound pulses having ultrasound shock waves to a target tissue at a focal depth of 2.5 cm to 5.5 cm;
• generating at least one μm-scale vapor bubble at the target tissue;
• growing the at least one vapor bubble to at least one mm-scale bubble;
• and
• mechanically disintegrating the target tissue by interactions between the at least one mm-scale bubble and the ultrasound shock waves, wherein the interactions take place within a duration of individual ultrasound pulses of the plurality of ultrasound pulses, without thermally damaging a surrounding tissue.