ABLATION PROBE WITH FLUID-BASED ACOUSTIC COUPLING FOR ULTRASONIC TISSUE IMAGING

摘要

Devices and systems for ultrasonically imaging tissue and performing ablation therapy are disclosed. An ablation probe for treating and imaging body tissue includes an ablation electrode tip with a number of acoustic openings and a plurality of ultrasonic imaging sensors disposed within an interior lumen of the tip. The ultrasonic imaging sensors are supported within the interior lumen via an insert equipped with a number of recesses that receive the ultrasonic imaging sensors. An acoustically transparent shell disposed between the ultrasonic imaging sensors and the acoustic openings forms a fluid channel in the acoustic pathway of the sensors. During an ablation procedure, cooling fluid from an external fluid source is delivered through the fluid channel, providing an acoustic coupling effect between the ultrasonic imaging sensors and the surrounding body tissue.

主权项

1. An ablation system for treating and imaging body tissue, the system comprising:
a probe comprising:
an elongate probe body having a proximal section and a distal section;an ablation electrode coupled to the distal section of the elongate probe body, the ablation electrode comprising a conductive shell having an interior, the ablation electrode configured for delivering ablation energy to body tissue;a plurality of openings disposed through the ablation electrode;a plurality of ultrasonic imaging sensors disposed within the interior of the conductive shell;an acoustically transparent tubular member disposed between the ultrasonic imaging sensors and the openings; anda fluid channel interposed between the ultrasonic imaging sensors and the acoustically transparent member within the interior of the conductive shell; a fluid source configured for delivering cooling fluid through the fluid channel of the probe, the cooling fluid configured to acoustically couple the ultrasonic imaging sensors to the body tissue; an ablation therapy module configured for generating and supplying an electrical ablation signal to the ablation electrode of the probe configured to ablate tissue; and an ultrasound imaging module configured for processing ultrasonic imaging signals received from the ultrasonic imaging sensors of the probe.