Shahram Vaezy

6425867, Jul 30, 2002

Sep 17, 1999

09/397471

Shahram Vaezy - Seattle WA
Roy W. Martin - Redmond WA
Stephen J. Carter - La Conner WA
George W. Keilman - Woodinville WA
Victor Y. Fujimoto - Seattle WA
Lawrence A. Crum - Bellevue WA

University of Washington - Seattle WA

A61B 800

600439, 601 3

Method and apparatus for the simultaneous use of ultrasound on a probe for imaging and therapeutic purposes. The probe limits the effects of undesirable interference noise in a display by synchronizing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) waves with an imaging transducer to cause the noise to be displayed in an area of the image that does not overlap the treatment site. In one embodiment, the HIFU is first energized at a low power level that does not cause tissue damage, so that the focal point of the HIFU can be identified by a change in the echogenicity of the tissue caused by the HIFU. Once the focal point is properly targeted on a desired treatment site, the power level is increased to a therapeutic level. The location of each treatment site is stored and displayed to the user to enable a plurality of spaced-apart treatment sites to be achieved. As the treatment progresses, any changes in the treatment site can be seen in the real time, noise-free image.

6432067, Aug 13, 2002

Sep 3, 1999

09/390032

Roy W. Martin - Seattle WA
Lawrence A. Crum - Seattle WA
Shahram Vaezy - Seattle WA
Stephen J. Carter - Seattle WA
W. Scott Helton - Seattle WA
Michael Gaps - Seattle WA
Peter J. Kaczkowski - Seattle WA
Andrew Proctor - Seattle WA
George Keilman - Woodinville WA

University of Washington - Seatlle WA
Sonic Concepts, Inc. - Woodinville WA

A61N 700

601 2, 601 3

Methods and apparatus for enabling substantially bloodless surgery and for stemming hemorrhaging. High intensity focused ultrasound (âHIFUâ) is used to form cauterized tissue regions prior to surgical incision, for example, forming a cauterized tissue shell around a tumor to be removed. The procedure is referred to as âpresurgical volume cauterization. â In one embodiment, the method is particularly effective for use in surgical lesion removal or resection of tissue having a highly vascularized constitution, such as the liver or spleen, and thus a propensity for hemorrhaging. In further embodiments, methods and apparatus for hemostasis using HIFU is useful in both surgical, presurgical, and medical emergency situations. In an apparatus embodiment, a telescoping, acoustic coupler is provided such that depth of focus of the HIFU energy is controllable. In other embodiments, apparatus characterized by portability are demonstrated, useful for emergency medical situations.

6716184, Apr 6, 2004

Jun 7, 2002

10/166795

Shahram Vaezy - Seattle WA
Roy W. Martin - Redmond WA
Stephen J. Carter - La Conner WA
George W. Keilman - Woodinville WA
Victor Y. Fujimoto - Seattle WA
Lawrence A. Crum - Bellevue WA

University of Washington - Seattle WA

A61N 700

601 3, 600439, 600459

Method and apparatus for the simultaneous use of ultrasound on a probe for imaging and therapeutic purposes. The probe limits the effects of undesirable interference noise in a display by synchronizing high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) waves with an imaging transducer to cause the noise to be displayed in an area of the image that does not overlap the treatment site. In one embodiment, the HIFU is first energized at a low power level that does not cause tissue damage, so that the focal point of the HIFU can be identified by a change in the echogenicity of the tissue caused by the HIFU. Once the focal point is properly targeted on a desired treatment site, the power level is increased to a therapeutic level. The location of each treatment site is stored and displayed to the user to enable a plurality of spaced-apart treatment sites to be achieved. As the treatment progresses, any changes in the treatment site can be seen in the real time, noise-free image.

7070565, Jul 4, 2006

May 30, 2003

10/449819

Shahram Vaezy - Seattle WA, US
Adrian Prokop - Lynnwood WA, US
Roy W. Martin - Anacortes WA, US
Peter Kaczkowski - Seattle WA, US
Misty Noble - Seattle WA, US

University of Washington - Seattle WA

A61B 8/14

600459

The present invention employs hydrogels as acoustic couplings for clinical applications of ultrasound imaging and therapy, but is particularly applicable to high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) based therapy. While other materials can be used, it has been determined that polyacrylamide is sufficiently robust and transmissive to withstand the high temperatures encountered in HIFU therapy. One embodiment of a hydrogel coupling is configured in shape and size (length) to ensure that a focal region of an ultrasound transducer is disposed proximate the target area when the distal tip of the transducer is in contact with tissue. These couplings can be shaped to correspond to the beam focus characteristics of specific transducers. Water can be applied to hydrate the tip of the hydrogel coupling during use, and medication absorbed into the hydrogel material can be applied to the tissue in contact with the distal surface of the hydrogel.

7510536, Mar 31, 2009

Dec 16, 2004

11/016701

Jessica L. Foley - Seattle WA, US
Shahram Vaezy - Seattle WA, US
James W. Little - Seattle WA, US

University of Washington - Seattle WA

A61H 1/00
A61B 8/00

601 2, 600439

A method for using high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to treat neurological structures to achieve a desired therapeutic affect. Depending on the dosage of HIFU applied, it can have a reversible or irreversible effect on neural structures. For example, a relatively high dose of HIFU can be used to permanently block nerve function, to provide a non-invasive alternative to severing a nerve to treat severe spasticity. Relatively lower doses of HIFU can be used to reversible a block nerve function, to alleviate pain, to achieve an anesthetic effect, or to achieve a cosmetic effect. Where sensory nerves are not necessary for voluntary function, but are involved in pain associated with tumors or bone cancer, HIFU can be used to non-invasively destroy such sensory nerves to alleviate pain without drugs. Preferably, ultrasound imaging synchronized to the HIFU therapy is used to provide real-time ultrasound image guided HIFU therapy of neural structures.

7520856, Apr 21, 2009

Oct 29, 2004

10/977339

Shahram Vaezy - Seattle WA, US
Arthur H. Chan - Plano TX, US
Victor Y. Fujimoto - San Francisco CA, US
Donald E. Moore - Seattle WA, US
Roy W. Martin - Anacortes WA, US

University of Washington - Seattle WA

A61B 8/00
A61N 7/00

600439, 600459, 601 3

A frame ensures that the alignment between a high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer designed for vaginal use and a commercially available ultrasound image probe is maintained, so that the HIFU focus remains in the image plane during HIFU therapy. A water-filled membrane placed between the HIFU transducer and the treatment site provides acoustic coupling. The coupling is evaluated to determine whether any air bubbles exist at the coupling interface, which might degrade the therapy provided by the HIFU transducer. HIFU lesions on tissue appear as hyperechoic spots on the ultrasound image in real time during application of HIFU therapy. Ergonomic testing in humans has demonstrated clear visualization of the HIFU transducer relative to the uterus and showed the potential for the HIFU transducer to treat fibroids from the cervix to the fundus through the width of the uterus.

7670291, Mar 2, 2010

Sep 16, 2005

11/229000

Shahram Vaezy - Seattle WA, US
Robert Held - Issaquah WA, US
Siddhartha Sikdar - Seattle WA, US
Ravi Managuli - Seattle WA, US
Vesna Zderic - Seattle WA, US

University of Washington - Seattle WA

A61B 8/00

600439, 600437, 600440, 600441, 600443, 600459, 601 1, 601 2

Disclosed herein is a method for obtaining a composite interference-free ultrasound image when non-imaging ultrasound waves would otherwise interfere with ultrasound imaging. A conventional ultrasound imaging system is used to collect frames of ultrasound image data in the presence of non-imaging ultrasound waves, such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). The frames are directed to a processor that analyzes the frames to identify portions of the frame that are interference-free. Interference-free portions of a plurality of different ultrasound image frames are combined to generate a single composite interference-free ultrasound image that is displayed to a user. In this approach, a frequency of the non-imaging ultrasound waves is offset relative to a frequency of the ultrasound imaging waves, such that the interference introduced by the non-imaging ultrasound waves appears in a different portion of the frames.

7686763, Mar 30, 2010

Feb 2, 2004

10/770350

Shahram Vaezy - Seattle WA, US
Roy W. Martin - Anacortes WA, US
Stephen J. Carter - La Conner WA, US
Lawrence A. Crum - Bellevue WA, US

University of Washington - Seattle WA

A61B 8/00
A61N 7/00

600439, 601 2, 600458

Ultrasound contrast agents are used to enhance imaging and facilitate HIFU therapy in four different ways. A contrast agent is used: (1) before therapy to locate specific vascular structures for treatment; (2) to determine the focal point of a HIFU therapy transducer while the HIFU therapy transducer is operated at a relatively low power level, so that non-target tissue is not damaged as the HIFU is transducer is properly focused at the target location; (3) to provide a positive feedback mechanism by causing cavitation that generates heat, reducing the level of HIFU energy administered for therapy compared to that required when a contrast agent is not used; and, (4) to shield non-target tissue from damage, by blocking the HIFU energy. Various combinations of these techniques can also be employed in a single therapeutic implementation.