Therapeutic focused ultrasound systems and methods having treatment blocks that are rotatable around reference axis for independent phase and amplitude control

A method for treating a target subject using a therapeutic ultrasound system, the therapeutic ultrasound system comprising a therapeutic ultrasound probe, wherein

• the therapeutic ultrasound probe comprises treatment blocks each of which includes one or more ultrasonic transducer arrays, each of the one or more ultrasonic transducer arrays including one or more ultrasonic transducers, and
• the treatment blocks are movable to rotate around a reference axis and/or adjust an angle with respect to the reference axis and
• the therapeutic ultrasound probe is used in combination with a first count of ultrasound channels,
• wherein the method is implemented on a computing device having at least one processor and at least one storage device and comprises:
• for each of the treatment blocks, determining a third count of ultrasound channels that are used to be connected to the treatment block:
• determining, from the treatment blocks, one or more first treatment block such that a second count is equal to or smaller than the first count, wherein the one or more first treatment blocks are used for a treatment to be performed on a target region of the target subject, and the second count is a sum of the third counts corresponding the one or more first treatment blocks;
• and
• wherein the processer is further configured to:
• determine possible arrangements of the one or more first treatment blocks in the therapeutic ultrasound probe during a treatment to be performed on a target region of a target subject, wherein the possible arrangements of the one or more first treatment
• blocks correspond to different positions and angles for assembling the one or more first treatment blocks;
• for each of the possible arrangements, determine one or more focusing parameters of the one or more first treatment blocks when the one or more first treatment blocks have the possible arrangement;
• determine a target arrangement of the one or more first treatment blocks based on the one or more focusing parameters corresponding to each possible arrangement and attribute information of the target region;
• causing one or more ultrasonic transducers in the one or more first treatment blocks to emit ultrasonic signals toward the target region.

A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising at least one set of instructions for treating a target subject using a therapeutic ultrasound system,

• the therapeutic ultrasound system comprising a therapeutic ultrasound probe, wherein the therapeutic ultrasound probe comprises treatment blocks each of which includes one or more ultrasonic transducer arrays, each of the one or more ultrasonic transducer arrays including one or more ultrasonic transducers,
• the treatment blocks are movable to rotate around a reference axis and/or adjust an angle with respect to the reference axis,
• an inner surface of the therapeutic ultrasound probe is an axisymmetric surface or a portion of the axisymmetric surface, and the reference axis is a symmetry axis of the axisymmetric surface;
• wherein the therapeutic ultrasound probe is used in combination with a first count of ultrasound channels,
• wherein the method is implemented on a computing device having at least one processor and at least one storage device and comprises executing instruction for:
• determining, from the treatment blocks, one or more first treatment blocks of the therapeutic ultrasound probe are used for a treatment to be performed on a target region of the target subject;
• for each of the treatment blocks, determine a third count of ultrasound channels that are used to be connected to the treatment block;
• determining, from the treatment blocks, one or more first treatment blocks such that a second count is to or smaller than the first counts wherein the one or more first treatment blocks are used for a treatment to be performed on a target region of a target subject and the second count is a sum of the third counts corresponding the one or more first treatment blocks;
• and
• wherein the processer is further configured to:
• determine possible arrangements of the one or more first treatment blocks in the therapeutic ultrasound probe during a treatment to be performed on a target region of a target subject, wherein the possible arrangements of the one or more first treatment
• blocks correspond to different positions and angles for assembling the one or more first treatment blocks;
• for each of the possible arrangements, determine one or more focusing parameters of the one or more first treatment blocks when the one or more first treatment blocks have the possible arrangement;
• determine a target arrangement of the one or more first treatment blocks based on the one or more focusing parameters corresponding to each possible arrangement and attribute information of the target region;
• and
• causing one or more ultrasonic transducers in the one or more first treatment blocks to emit ultrasonic signals toward the target region.