Neuromodulation energy application techniques

A neuromodulation system, comprising:

• a noninvasive ultrasound probe configured to apply energy to a region of interest in a patient's body, the noninvasive ultrasound probe comprising:
• an ultrasound therapy transducer;
• an ultrasound imaging transducer;
• and
• a haptic device;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• receive ultrasound image data from the ultrasound imaging transducer from a plurality of positions and/or orientations of the noninvasive ultrasound probe on the patient's body;
• identify one or more anatomical features within a region of interest based on the ultrasound image data;
• identify one or more aligned positions and/or orientations of the plurality that are aligned with a predetermined treatment position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe based on the ultrasound image data;
• transmit instructions to activate the haptic device of the noninvasive ultrasound probe in a first operating mode while the ultrasound probe is at one of the aligned positions and/or orientations;
• and
• transmit instructions to activate the haptic device of the noninvasive ultrasound probe in a second operating mode while the ultrasound probe is not at one of the aligned positions and/or orientations.

A method for treating a patient with a metabolic disorder using a noninvasive ultrasound probe comprising an ultrasound therapy transducer and an ultrasound imaging transducer, comprising:

• accessing a prior ultrasound image associated with a predetermined treatment position of the noninvasive ultrasound probe;
• acquiring ultrasound image data from the ultrasound imaging transducer associated with a position and orientation of the ultrasound probe on the patient's body;
• identifying one or more anatomical features within a region of interest based on the ultrasound image data;
• determining that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation based on the ultrasound image data and the prior ultrasound image associated with the predetermined treatment position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe;
• and
• controlling application of an energy to the region of interest via the noninvasive ultrasound probe responsive to determining that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation.