# US 12,178,546 B2 · Methods and systems for modifying electrical currents in neuronal circuits > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,546 B2 - Document ID: US12178546B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/460,045 - Filed: 2021-08-27 - Published: 2021-12-16 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-17 - Assignees: The Regents of the University of California; The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc. - Applicants: The Regents of the University of California; The Brigham and Women's Hospital - Inventors: Seung-Schik Yoo; Alexander Bystritsky; Nathan McDannold; Ferenc A. Jolesz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178546B2 ## CPC - A61B 5/0036: {including treatment, e.g., using an implantable medical device, ablating, ventilating} - A61B 5/0042: {for the brain} - A61B 5/055: involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging - A61B 6/037: {Emission tomography} - A61N 7/00: Ultrasound therapy (lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 {; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092}) - A61N 7/02: Localised ultrasound hyperthermia - A61B 2090/374: {NMR or MRI} - A61N 2007/0021: {Neural system treatment} - A61N 2007/0026: {Stimulation of nerve tissue} - A61N 2007/0078: {with multiple treatment transducers} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract A system comprises an ultrasound subsystem and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) subsystem. The ultrasound subsystem applies pulses of focused ultrasound having one or more parameters to an identified location in a subject that is to receive treatment. The parameters are determined in accordance with a magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment plan. The MRI subsystem acquires functional image data corresponding to the identified location concurrently with the applied pulses of focused ultrasound. The MRI subsystem obtains a reconstructed series of functional images of the subject using the functional image data. The functional images are indicative of a first region within the identified location in which neuronal activity has been modified by the applied pulses. The system is configured to adjust one or more parameters of the MRgFUS treatment plan using the reconstructed series of functional images. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for adjusting a magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment plan with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and an ultrasound system, comprising: identifying a location in a subject that is to receive treatment; applying, using the ultrasound system, focused ultrasonic pulses having one or more first parameters to the identified location in order to modulate a level of naturally occurring hormones of the subject at the location; concurrently with applying the pulses of focused ultrasound, acquiring with the MRI system functional image data corresponding to the identified location; obtaining a reconstructed series of functional images of the subject using the functional image data, the functional images indicative of a first region within the identified location in which neuronal activity has been modified by the applied pulses, wherein the first region is a region to be avoided in the treatment; and adjusting one or more parameters of the MRgFUS treatment plan using the reconstructed series of functional images, including: applying, using the ultrasound system, focused ultrasonic pulses having one or more second parameters to a second region within the identified location, the second region distinct from the first region, wherein the second region is a region to be treated in the treatment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment is ablation of the second region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the modulation of the level of naturally occurring hormones is a transient modulation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the obtaining and adjusting such that neuronal circuits of the subject are modified by the repeated application of pulses of focused ultrasound so as to treat at least one of a psychiatric, neurological, and neuroendocrine disorder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the identified location comprises a location in the brain of the subject. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the location in the subject that is to receive treatment includes: acquiring, with the MRI system, image data from the subject; reconstructing an image of the subject from the acquired image data; and identifying the location in the subject using the reconstructed image. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the location in the subject that is to receive treatment includes: acquiring, with the ultrasound system, an image of the subject; and identifying the location in the subject using the acquired image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of: a sonication period; a focused ultrasound acoustic intensity; a focused ultrasound frequency; a focal depth; and a focal diameter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the focused ultrasonic pulses having one or more first parameters includes: applying the pulses of focused ultrasound in a sequence according to a selected pulse repetition frequency (PRF) having a range of 100-1000 Hertz (Hz) in order to decrease neuronal activity, or at a selected PRF below 100 Hz in order to increase neuronal activity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pulses of focused ultrasound having one or more first parameters are applied with an acoustic intensity having a range of 10-350 watts per centimeter squared (W/cm2). ### Claim 11 A system, comprising: an ultrasound subsystem, configured to: apply pulses of focused ultrasound having one or more parameters to an identified location in a subject that is to receive treatment in order to modulate a level of naturally occurring hormones of the subject at the location, wherein the one or more parameters are determined in accordance with a magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment plan; and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) subsystem, configured to: acquire functional image data corresponding to the identified location concurrently with the applied pulses of focused ultrasound; and obtain a reconstructed series of functional images of the subject using the functional image data, the functional images indicative of a first region within the identified location in which neuronal activity has been modified by the applied pulses, wherein the first region is a region to be avoided in the treatment; wherein the system is configured to adjust one or more parameters of the MRgFUS treatment plan using the reconstructed series of functional images, including applying, using the ultrasound subsystem, focused ultrasonic pulses having one or more second parameters to a second region within the identified location, the second region distinct from the first region, wherein the second region is a region to be treated in the treatment. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the treatment is ablation of the second region. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the modulation of the level of naturally occurring hormones is a transient modulation. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the system is configured to repeat the obtaining and adjusting such that neuronal circuits of the subject are modified by the repeated application of pulses of focused ultrasound so as to treat at least one of a psychiatric, neurological, and neuroendocrine disorder. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the identified location comprises a location in the brain of the subject. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the system is further configured to: acquire, with the MRI subsystem, image data from the subject; reconstruct an image of the subject from the acquired image data; and identify the location in the subject using the reconstructed image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the system is further configured to: acquire, with the ultrasound subsystem, an image of the subject; and identify the location in the subject using the acquired image. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of: a sonication period; a focused ultrasound acoustic intensity; a focused ultrasound frequency; a focal depth; and a focal diameter. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the ultrasound subsystem is configured to apply the pulses of focused ultrasound with an acoustic intensity having a range of 10-350 watts per centimeter squared (W/cm2). ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the MRI subsystem is further configured to obtain a plurality of images indicative of neuronal activity that is induced by the applied pulses of focused ultrasound and altered in response to an administered pharmaceutical.