Ultrasound Thermal Imaging
Tech ID: 22594 / UC Case 2012-167-0
Background
Hyper- and hypothermia therapies for the treatment and destruction of cancerous solid tumors have a long history. During treatment it is essential to accurately monitor tissue temperature to ensure tumor destruction. Typically MRI is used to image the tumor and monitor tissue heating and destruction by high-intensity focused ultrasound (FUS). Unfortunately MRI is very expensive and requires specialized equipment that can operate in a strong magnetic field significantly limiting clinical utilization.Technology Description
UCSD researchers have developed a substantially less expensive device and method than MRI, for direct monitoring of tissue temperature distributions in response to hypo- or hyperthermic therapies. The device uses pulse echo ultrasound to measure the local sound speed in the tissue and to map the sound speed to temperature by the use of a known mapping between sound speed and temperature. These thermal images are generated in seconds and are very useful to monitor thermal therapies.Applications
Guiding and monitoring
- hyperthermia and hypothermia therapies applied to tissues to destroy tumors directly or as an adjunct therapy to enhance radio- and chemotherapy.
Advantages
- The thermal images are generated in seconds;
- The device is less significantly less expensive than MRI; and
- The measurement method is more robust than the existing ultrasound thermometry methods based on speckle tracking or other image-based techniques.
State Of Development
A working prototype has been developed and preliminary feasibility testing on a tissue mimicking phantom maps heating from 25° C to 60° C.Intellectual Property Info
Patent application filed.
Related Materials
- Nebeker J, Nelson T. Towards Ultrasound Thermometry with Sound Speed Tomography. 2012 AIUM (American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine) annual convention abstract.
Patent Status
Patent Pending
Other Information
Related cases
2012-167-0
Keywords
thermal imaging, hypothermia, hyperthermia, cancer, therapy, echo ultrasound
Contact
University of California, San Diego Technology Transfer Office / invent@ucsd.edu / tel: View Phone Number. Please reference Tech ID #22594.