Synchronization of HIFU therapy system with an arbitrary ultrasound imager

Synchronization for image guided therapy using high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and imaging ultrasound is achieved with a new technique that uses the focused transducer as a receiver that can detect the acoustic pulses created by the imaging probe. Without synchronization, interference from the high intensity source occludes the imager’s display unpredictably, degrading the quality of the system. An imaging probe (Sonosite 180) is registered with a HIFU transducer (d=33 mm, roc=55 mm, f=3.5 MHz) such that the scan line bisects the single element focus. When acoustically coupled through a scattering medium, imaging pulses are passively detected with the HIFU transducer and electronically conditioned into a TTL level trigger. A LabVIEW program uses the trigger to create a pulse width modulated signal that controls the timing of HIFU excitation during treatment. Detection takes less than 1% of the time between displayed images when the imager is running at 20 frames per second. HIFU excitations are programmed to occur such that the single element focus is free of interference when viewed with the imager during treatment. With no electrical connections for this new, simple technique, an arbitrary imager can be selected for synchronized image guided therapy. [Work supported by NSBRI.]