METHODS OF SONODYNAMIC TREATMENT USING ULTRASOUND
A method is disclosed that may be used in a minimally invasive internal treatment (e.g., sonodynamic therapy). A sonosensitizer can be activated by ultrasound from a housing, a portion of which may be positioned in contact with tissue of a patient during a minimally invasive sonodynamic therapy procedure. The ultrasound housing may include multiple electrically independent ultrasound transducers or elements. The ultrasound transducers can be configured to emit ultrasound energy into the internal tissue of the patient. The ultrasound energy may reach a target tissue depth at a relatively low temporal average intensity (e.g., less than 50 W/cm 2 ). Such ultrasound energy may activate the sonosensitizer.
1 . A method of ultrasound treatment of cancerous tissue by activation of a sonosensitizer, comprising:
positioning an ultrasound housing on a portion of a patient directed toward a cancerous tissue, wherein the ultrasound housing comprises at least one ultrasound transducer, and
emitting ultrasound energy from the at least one ultrasound transducer into the cancerous tissue of the patient to activate a sonosensitizer, wherein the sonosensitizer is configured to preferentially accumulate inside cells in the cancerous tissue,
wherein the ultrasound energy reaches a target tissue depth at a temporal average intensity of less than 50 W/cm 2 .