Systems and methods for optimizing transskull acoustic treatment
AssigneeInsightec, Ltd.
InventorsTal Tlusty, Shuki Vitek, Eyal Zadicario
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Abstract
Skull inhomogeneity may be quantified in accordance with the skull density measured in skull images acquired using a conventional imager; the quantified inhomogeneity may then be used to determine whether the patient is suitable for ultrasound treatment and/or determine parameters associated with the ultrasound transducer for optimizing transskull ultrasound treatment.
Claims18
A method for transskull ultrasound treatment with optimized focusing properties at a target region, the method comprising:
- obtaining at least one image of a patient's skull;
- computationally determining a plurality of local parameters, each local parameter representing structural characteristics of a local skull region on a beam path from one of a plurality of transducer elements to the target region, being calculated for each respective beam path, and representing a measure of anatomical variation along the beam path, determined from the at least one image and indicative of structural inhomogeneity affecting acoustic energy transmission to the target region;
- and
- activating at least some of the plurality of transducer elements with transmission powers determined in accordance with the local parameters associated therewith to improve focusing effectiveness of the ultrasound treatment.
A system for transskull ultrasound treatment with optimized focusing properties at a target region, the system comprising:
- an imaging system for obtaining at least one image of a patient's skull;
- a controller, operably coupled to the imaging system, configured to:
- identify a position of the target region in the at least one image;
- computationally determine a plurality of local parameters, each local parameter representing structural characteristics of a local skull region on a beam path from one of a plurality of transducer elements to the target region, being calculated for each respective beam path, and representing a measure of anatomical variation along the beam path, determined from the at least one image and indicative of structural inhomogeneity affecting acoustic energy transmission to the target region;
- and
- drive circuitry, coupled to the controller, for activating at least some of the plurality of transducer elements with transmission powers determined in accordance with the local parameters associated therewith to improve focusing effectiveness of the ultrasound treatment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.