Patent · US Expired

Ultrasound therapy apparatus

US4787394A · kind A · utility

36Cited by
7References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateApr 23, 1987
Grant dateNov 29, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 23, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61N2007/0078
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An ultrasound therapy apparatus having an applicator. The applicator comprises at least one ultrasonic beam emitter, at least two ultrasonic transducers, and a support member. The beam emitter emits an ultrasonic beam onto an object within a patient, for the purpose of treating the object. The transducers apply ultrasonic beams to the patient and detect ultrasonic echoes coming from the patient, thereby to form two tomograms, each of a selected plane of the patient, one plane intersecting with the other on a line passing through a region in which the beam emitted by the beam emitter is focused. The support member supports the beam emitter and the transducers in a specific positional relationship. Receivers receive echo signals corresponding to the ultrasonic echoes. Two displays display tomograms formed from these echo signals. They also display a first marker, which indicates a region in which the ultrasonic beam emitted from the beam emitter is focused, and also a second marker, which represents an intersection line of the two planes. By referring to these markers, an operator can set the applicator in a position whereby the beam emitted from the beam emitter is focused onto the …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.