Apparatus and method for generating and directing ultrasound

Apparatus for hyperthermia treatment of target points in a treatment region in a body, comprising:

• a plurality of side-by-side piezoelectric transducer elements, each of said elements having tapered thicknesses;
• a variable frequency source of electrical energy;
• phase shifting means for receiving electrical energy from said variable frequency source and coupling said energy, at controllable relative phases, to said transducer elements;
• and
• processor means for deriving, from the coordinates of input target points, control signals for controlling the frequency of said variable frequency source and for controlling the relative phases of said phase shifting means whereby energy from said transducer elements is directed to a specified internal treatment region of the body for selective heating in the region.

Apparatus for hyperthermia treatment of target points in a treatment region in a body, comprising:

• a plurality of side-by-side piezoelectric transducer elements, each of said elements having tapered thicknesses;
• a variable frequency source of electrical energy;
• multiplexing means for receiving electrical energy from said variable frequency source and coupling said energy to a selected one of said transducer elements;
• and
• processor means for deriving, from the coordinates of input target points, control signals for controlling the frequency of said variable frequency source and for controlling the selection by said multiplexing means whereby energy from said transducer elements is directed to specified input target points in the internal treatment region for selective heating in the region.

A method for hyperthermia treatment of target points in a treatment region of a body, comprising the steps of:

• energizing a plurality of side-by-side piezoelectric transducer elements, each of said elements having tapered thicknesses, with electrical energy;
• varying the frequency of said electrical energy to vary the target position of the ultrasound produced by said transducer elements along the direction of taper of said elements;
• and
• electronically varying the target position of the ultrasound produced by said transducer elements along a direction perpendicular to said direction of taper, whereby energy from said transducer elements is directed to a specified internal treatment region of the body for selective heating in the region.