Dual-mode piezocomposite ultrasonic transducer
AssigneeMisonix, Incorporated
InventorYEGOR SINELNIKOV
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Abstract
A compact, high power, dual mode, emitting and receiving ultrasound transducer and method for applying ultrasonic energy within a living subject and for monitoring the effects it induces in tissue comprises a set of piezoelectric polymeric transducer elements and a set of piezoelectric ceramic elements, bonded together. The polymeric transducer elements have electrodes enabling their use for low power diagnostic imaging interrogation of the tissue and the ceramic transducer elements have electrodes enabling their use for high power therapy applications.
Claims30
An ultrasonic transducer device comprising a plurality of first transducer elements all of a first type and at least one second transducer element of a second type different from said first type, said first type being one of an imaging transducer made of a piezoelectric polymeric material and a therapeutic transducer made of a piezoelectric ceramic material, said second type being the other of said imaging transducer and said therapeutic transducer, said first transducer elements and said second therapeutic transducer element being connected to one another, said first transducer elements having different geometrical configurations taken from the group consisting of different sizes and shapes.
(canceled)
A medical method comprising:
- providing an ultrasonic transducer device comprising at least one first transducer element made of a piezoelectric polymeric material and at least one second transducer element made of a piezoelectric ceramic material, said at least one first transducer element and said at least one second transducer element being bonded to one another to form a dual mode transducer module;
- placing said transducer module into effective wave-transmitting contact with a patient;
- energizing at least one of said first transducer and said second transducer element to produce an ultrasonic scanning waveform in a patient;
- monitoring-signals produced by said at least one first transducer element in response to incoming ultrasonic pressure waves that are reflected and scattered by internal tissue structures of the patient, thereby detecting the incoming ultrasonic pressure waves;
- and energizing said at least one second transducer element to treat organic tissues.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.