Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-19
2001-07-24
Vo, Peter (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
C600S443000, C600S466000, C600S467000, C600S472000, C601S002000, C601S003000, C607S122000, C607S088000, C607S092000, C607S096000, C607S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264608
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an acoustic therapy apparatus of the type having a source of therapeutic acoustic waves and an ultrasound locating means with an ultrasound transducer, the source and the ultrasound transducer are combined to form an oblong applicator with a longitudinal axis adapted for introduction into the body interior of a patient with the source and the ultrasound transducer being successively arranged in the direction of the longitudinal axis, so that ultrasound images with respect to a circular sector-shaped plane of section that contains the longitudinal axis of the applicator and whose center axis is the angle bisector of the plane of section can be generated with the ultrasound locating means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to be able to obtain a good image of a region that is to be treated with therapeutic acoustic waves using an ultrasound locating means in a conventional therapy apparatus of the type initially described, the source of therapeutic acoustic waves is subdivided into two sections of equal length between which the sector scanner is located. The sector scanner in usually contains a small linear array that is operated in as a phased array. A sector scanner containing a linear array is employed, because the slight installation space required for such a sector scanner makes it possible to arrange the two sections of the source of therapeutic acoustic waves in close proximity, which is beneficial for acoustic reasons. Moreover, the slight installation space required for such a sector scanner has a beneficial effect on the dimensions of the applicator, so that a use of the applicator is also possible under constricted space conditions, for example endoluminal application (use in body cavities).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,071 discloses a therapy apparatus of the type initially described wherein the source of therapeutic acoustic waves and the ultrasound transducer are arranged following one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis, with which ultrasound images with respect to a planar of section (slice) that contains the longitudinal axis of the applicator can be generated with the ultrasound locating means, with the center axis of the plane of section describes an angle of less than 90° with the longitudinal axis of the planar section so that the center axis is inclined toward the source. In this way, it is possible to always image the entire region to be treated with the therapeutic acoustic waves in the ultrasound image generated with the ultrasound locating means without requiring a subdivision of the source of therapeutic acoustic waves into two sections. However, extremely little installation space is available for the ultrasound transducer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention to provide a therapy apparatus of the type initially described wherein, without dividing the source of therapeutic acoustic waves into two sections, it is possible to produce a good image of the region to be treated with the ultrasound locating means while still providing adequate installation space for the ultrasound transducer.
This object is inventively achieved in a therapy apparatus wherein the ultrasound transducer is arranged preceding the source in the introduction direction, and wherein, proceeding from a position in which the center axis of the planar section describes an angle of less than 90° with the section of the longitudinal axis of the applicator located in the region of the source, so that the center axis is inclined toward the source and is adjustable such that it describes an angle greater than 90° with that section of the longitudinal axis of the applicator located in the region of the source. It is thus clear that the sector scanner is arranged at the distal end of the applicator, with the result that adequate installation space is available for the sector scanner. As a result of the slant of the center axis of the planar section, it is nonetheless possible to always image the entire region to be treated with the therapeutic acoustic waves in the ultrasound image generated with the ultrasound locating means.
It is also possible to image the body region of the patient located in the region of the distal end of the applicator, in particular in front of the distal end, during the introduction of the applicator into a patient with the ultrasound locating means, in order to obtain information that make it possible to recognize whether an unproblematical introduction is possible or whether, for example, the introduction direction must be corrected. For this purpose, in an embodiment of the invention the center axis of the plane of section is adjustable such that it describes an angle greater than 90° with that section of the longitudinal axis of the applicator located in the region of the source.
Even given employment of a mechanical sector scanner, the inventive structure, with little technical outlay, makes it advantageously possible to design the applicator with dimensions so that it is introducible into the body interior of a human patient along natural paths.
The arrangement of the ultrasound transducer preceding the source in the sense of the introduction direction, i.e. at the distal end of the applicator, offers the advantage that the ultrasound locating means also supplies a good image under all conditions given endoluminar application.
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patent: 4917097 (1990-04-01), Proudian et al.
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patent: 5471988 (1995-12-01), Fujio et al.
patent: 5474071 (1995-12-01), Chapelon et al.
patent: 5588432 (1996-12-01), Crowley
patent: 5817021 (1998-10-01), Reichenberger
patent: 0 668 052 (1995-08-01), None
patent: WO 93/16641 (1993-09-01), None
patent: WO 95/02994 (1995-02-01), None
patent: WO 95/19143 (1995-07-01), None
Schatzle Ulrich
Schmidt Erhard
Thum Bernhard
Lin Jeoyuh
Schiff & Hardin & Waite
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
Vo Peter
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