Neuromodulation energy application techniques
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to techniques for facilitating personalized neuromodulation treatment protocols. In one embodiment, a predetermined treatment position of an energy application device is used to guide future treatments for the patient. In one embodiment, a position of the energy application device relative to the predetermined treatment position is determined. In one embodiment, a total dose of ultrasound energy applied to the region of interest is determined.
1 . A neuromodulation system, comprising:
a noninvasive ultrasound probe configured to apply nonablative ultrasound energy to a region of interest in a patient's body, the noninvasive ultrasound probe comprising an ultrasound therapy transducer and an ultrasound imaging transducer; and
a controller configured to:
access a prior ultrasound image associated with a predetermined treatment position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe, wherein the predetermined treatment position and orientation corresponds to a location of a surface marking on the patient's body;
acquire ultrasound image data of the region of interest using the ultrasound imaging transducer;
identify one or more anatomical features within the region of interest based on the ultrasound image data;
determine that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation based on the ultrasound image data and the prior ultrasound image associated with the predetermined treatment position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe; and
control application of the nonablative ultrasound energy to activate axon terminals of one or more nerve pathways in the region of interest via the noninvasive ultrasound probe responsive to determining that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation, wherein the activation of the one or more nerve pathways causes a change in concentration of a circulating molecule.
2 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to cause display of an indication related to determining that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation.
3 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit instructions to an actuator of the noninvasive ultrasound probe responsive to determining that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation.
4 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit instructions to activate a light responsive to determining that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation.
5 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive updated image data from the ultrasound imaging transducer associated with a different position and orientation on the patient's body;
determine that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is not aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation based on the updated image data and the prior ultrasound image associated with the predetermined treatment position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe; and
stop application of the nonablative ultrasound energy via the noninvasive ultrasound probe responsive to determining that the updated image data is not aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation.
6 . The neuromodulation system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit instructions to an actuator of the noninvasive ultrasound probe responsive to determining that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is not aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation.
7 . The neuromodulation system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to provide an indication of a position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe relative to the predetermined treatment position and orientation based on the updated image data.
8 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation for a period of time before controlling the application of the nonablative ultrasound energy.
9 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation based on an image registration or alignment of the ultrasound image data and the prior ultrasound image associated with the predetermined treatment position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe.
10 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the region of interest is a liver or sub-region of the liver of the patient.
11 . The neuromodulation system of claim 10 , wherein the nonablative ultrasound energy applied to the liver or sub-region of the liver causes a change in concentration of circulating glucose.
12 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the region of interest is a liver or a sub-region of the liver, or suborgans of a gastrointestinal tract.
13 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the region of interest is a liver or a sub-region of the liver, and suborgans of a gastrointestinal tract.
14 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the circulating molecule comprises glucose.
15 . The neuromodulation system of claim 1 , wherein the nonablative ultrasound energy comprises a temporal average intensity less than 35 W/cm 2 .
16 . A neuromodulation system, comprising:
a noninvasive ultrasound probe configured to apply nonablative ultrasound energy to activate axon terminals of one or more nerve pathways in a region of interest in a patient's body such that activation of the one or more nerve pathways causes a change in concentration of a circulating molecule, the noninvasive ultrasound probe comprising:
an ultrasound therapy transducer;
an ultrasound imaging transducer; and
a haptic device; and
a controller configured to:
receive ultrasound image data from the ultrasound imaging transducer from a plurality of positions and/or orientations of the noninvasive ultrasound probe on the patient's body;
identify one or more anatomical features within a region of interest based on the ultrasound image data;
identify one or more aligned positions and/or orientations of the plurality that are aligned with a predetermined treatment position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe based on the ultrasound image data, wherein the predetermined treatment position and orientation corresponds to a location of a surface marking on the patient's body;
transmit instructions to activate the haptic device of the noninvasive ultrasound probe in a first operating mode while the noninvasive ultrasound prove in a first operating mode while the noninvasive ultrasound probe is at one of the one or more aligned positions and/or orientations; and
transmit instructions to active the haptic device of the noninvasive ultrasound probe in a second operating mode while the noninvasive ultrasound probe is not one of the one or more aligned positions and/or orientations.
17 . The neuromodulation system claim 16 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit instructions to activate audio or display guidance while the noninvasive ultrasound probe is not at the one or more aligned positions and/or orientations, wherein the audio or display guidance comprises a direction of movement toward one of the one or more aligned positions and/or orientations.
18 . The neuromodulation system of claim 16 , wherein the first operating mode comprise a first vibration pattern and the second operating mode comprises a second vibration pattern different than the first vibration pattern.
19 . A method for treating a patient with a metabolic disorder using a noninvasive ultrasound probe comprising an ultrasound therapy transducer and an ultrasound imaging transducer, comprising:
accessing a prior ultrasound image associated with a predetermined treatment position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe, wherein the predetermined treatment position and orientation corresponds to a location of a surface marking on the patient's body;
acquiring ultrasound image data from the ultrasound imaging transducer associated with a position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe on the patient's body;
identifying one or more anatomical features within a region of interest based on the ultrasound image data;
determining that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation based on the ultrasound image data and the prior ultrasound image associated with the predetermined treatment position and orientation of the noninvasive ultrasound probe; and
controlling application of a nonablative ultrasound energy to activate axon terminals of one or more nerve pathways in the region of interest via the noninvasive ultrasound probe responsive to determining that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation, wherein the activation of the one or more nerve pathways causes a change in concentration of a circulating molecule.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising providing feedback in response to determining that the noninvasive ultrasound probe is not aligned with the predetermined treatment position and orientation.