Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Patent
1997-09-02
1999-08-17
Casler, Brian L.
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
601 4, A61B 1722
Patent
active
059386088
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a therapy apparatus for treatment with focussed ultrasound, comprising a cooled ultrasound source implemented as phased array and a preceding acoustic lens.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A therapy apparatus of the above type is utilized for treating both benign as well as malignant tissue modifications. Temperatures in the range from 40 through 100.degree. C. can be generated in the focus during the treatment, whereby the temperature is selected dependent on the clinical picture to be respectively treated.
The employment of phased arrays for ultrasound therapy is disclosed by German OS 31 19 295 The advantage of employing phased arrays is comprised therein that the focus zone of the ultrasound can be displaced by suitable drive of the phased array without requiring the is displacement of the ultrasound source relative to the subject to be treated.
In order to reduce the number of ultrasound transducer elements of the phased array required in order to enable a specific displacement of the focus zone, a prefocussing with an acoustic lens is provided in European Application -0 214 782, which is directed to a therapy apparatus of the species initially cited. In order to save installation space, the acoustic lens is implemented as a Fresnel lens. At the same time, the Fresnel lens serves as carrier for the ultrasound transducer elements of the phased array, these being attached to the back side of the Fresnel lens facing away from the focus zone. At its front side, the Fresnel lens, which also acts as an acoustic matching layer, is provided with a further acoustic matching layer.
For heat elimination, the Fresnel lens is provided with a cooling channel in the region of its outer edge. Since the cooling channel can only be provided in the region of the edge of the Fresnel lens, the cooling is not very effective. Added thereto is that the realization of a Fresnel lens containing a cooling channel involves rather considerable outlay. The manufacture of the matching layer applied to the Fresnel lens also involves high outlay.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,303 also discloses a therapy apparatus with an ultrasound source and a preceding acoustic lens. For cooling the ultrasound source, an ultrasound-conductive coolant adjoining that side of the ultrasound source facing toward the lens is located between the lens and the ultrasound source.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,512 also discloses a therapy apparatus for treatment with focussed ultrasound, wherein an ultrasound source executed as phased array is cooled with an adjacent coolant. An acoustic lens is not provided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a therapy apparatus of the type initially described such that an effective cooling of the ultrasound source and a good impedance matching of the ultrasound source are assured in a simple way.
This object is inventively achieved in an ultrasound source having a base plate arranged between the lens and the ultrasound source on whose side facing away from the lens the ultrasound transducer elements are applied, whereby the base plate is composed of a material having good thermal conductivity, whereby a coolant that conducts ultrasound waves and adjoins the side of the base plate facing toward the lens is located between the lens and the ultrasound source, whereby the base plate comprises a thickness, at least in the region of the ultrasound transducer elements, that is equal to an odd-numbered multiple of a quarter of the wavelength of the ultrasound in the material of the base plate and exhibits an acoustic impedance in the region of the ultrasound transducer elements that lies on the order of magnitude of 10.sup.7 kg/(m.sup.2 s). Since a base plate separate from the lens is provided for the ultrasound transducer elements of the phased array, the ultrasound transducer elements being attached to the side thereof facing away from the lens, and since a coolant is adjacent at the other side of the base plate, which has
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Bieger Johannes
Schatzle Ulrich
Schmidt Erhard
Schneider Siegfried
Casler Brian L.
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
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