Device producing test sonications for high intensity focused ultrasound and method of use

1. A medical apparatus comprising:

a high intensity focused ultrasound system configured to generate focused ultrasonic energy for sonicating a treatment volume of a subject;

a signaling device configured to enable the subject to generate a discomfort signal during the sonication of the treatment volume;

a memory containing machine executable instructions;

a processor for controlling the medical apparatus, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to receive a set of sonication points, wherein the set of sonication points contains coordinates of locations within the treatment volume, wherein at least one of the set of sonication points is identified as a test location; wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to control the medical apparatus to perform the following for each sonication point of the set of sonication points:

determine if the sonication point is the test location;

perform a test sonication of the sonication point using the high intensity focused ultrasound system if the sonication point is the test location;

test repeatedly for the discomfort signal from the signaling device during the test sonication;

sonicate the sonication point if the sonication point is not a test location or if the discomfort signal was not detected; and

abort the sonication if the discomfort signal was detected.

2. The medical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to switch the focused ultrasonic energy on and off at a duty cycle during the test sonication.

3. The medical apparatus of claim 2 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to increase the duty cycle during the test sonication.

4. The medical apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:

the focused ultrasonic energy has a predetermined power level during the sonication of the sonication point,

the test sonication is divided into a first time period and a second time period, and

execution of the instructions further causes the processor to:

perform, during the first time period, the test sonication at a reduced power level that is less than the predetermined power level, and increase the reduced power level during the first time period,

perform, during the second time period, the test sonication at the predetermined power level, and set, during the first time period, the duty cycle to a fixed rate, wherein during the second time period the duty cycle is larger than the fixed rate, and

increase the duty cycle during the second time period.

5. The medical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the focused ultrasonic energy has a predetermined power level during the sonication of the sonication point, wherein the execution of the instructions causes the processor to perform the test sonication at a reduced power level that is less than the predetermined power level, and wherein the reduced power level is increased during the test sonication.

6. The medical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to determine if each of the set of sonication points is a test location by checking if the sonication point is within a selected region indicated within medical image data, and wherein the medical image data is descriptive of the anatomy of the subject.

7. The medical apparatus of claim 6 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to:

display the medical image data on a graphical user interface; and

receive the selection of the selected region from the graphical user interface.

8. The medical apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the medical imaging system is any one of the following: a magnetic resonance imaging system, a computed tomography system, and a diagnostic ultrasound system.

9. The medical apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the medical apparatus further comprises a medical imaging system, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to acquire the medical image data using the medical imaging system.

10. The medical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to remove a removal volume from the treatment volume if the discomfort signal is detected, and wherein the removal volume at least partially surrounds the test location.

11. The medical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein there are multiple test locations, and wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to perform a test sonication of each test location.

12. A medical apparatus comprising:

a high intensity focused ultrasound system comprising an ultrasonic transducer with an adjustable focus, the high intensity focused ultrasound system configured to generate focused ultrasonic energy for sonicating a treatment volume of a subject

a signaling device configured to enable the subject to generate a discomfort signal during the sonication of the treatment volume;

a memory containing machine executable instructions;

a processor for controlling the medical apparatus, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to receive a set of sonication points, wherein the set of sonication points contains coordinates of locations within the treatment volume, wherein at least one of the set of sonication points is identified as a test location;

wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to control the medical apparatus to perform the following for each sonication point of the set of sonication points:

determine if the sonication point is the test location;

perform a test sonication of the sonication point using the high intensity focused ultrasound system and defocus the ultrasonic transducer if the sonication point is the test location;

test repeatedly for the discomfort signal from the signaling device during the test sonication;

sonicate the sonication point if the sonication point is not a test location or if the discomfort signal was not detected; and

abort the sonication if the discomfort signal was detected.

13. A non-transitory computer program product comprising machine executable instructions for execution by a processor controlling a medical apparatus, wherein the medical apparatus comprises a high intensity focused ultrasound system configured for generating focused ultrasonic energy for sonicating a treatment volume of a subject, wherein the medical apparatus further comprises a signaling device configured to enable the subject to generate a discomfort signal during the sonication of the treatment volume, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to receive a set of sonication points, wherein the set of sonication points contains coordinates of locations within the treatment volume, wherein at least one of the set of sonication points is identified as a test location;

wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to control the medical apparatus to perform the following for each sonication point of the set of sonication points:

determine if the sonication point is the test location;

perform a test sonication of the sonication point using the high intensity focused ultrasound system if the sonication point is the test location;

test repeatedly for the discomfort signal from the signaling device during the test sonication;

sonicate the sonication point if the sonication point is not a test location or if the discomfort signal was not detected; and

abort the sonication if the discomfort signal was detected.

14. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 13 , wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to:

switch the focused ultrasonic energy on and off at a duty cycle during the test sonication; and

increase the duty cycle during the test sonication.

15. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the high intensity focused ultrasound system comprises an ultrasonic transducer with an adjustable focus, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the processor to defocus the ultrasonic transducer during the test sonication.

16. A method of operating a medical apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a high intensity focused ultrasound system configured for generating focused ultrasonic energy for sonicating a treatment volume of a subject, wherein the medical apparatus further comprises a signaling device configured to enable the subject to generate a discomfort signal during the sonication of the treatment volume, wherein the method comprises the steps of receiving a set of sonication points, wherein the set of sonication points contains coordinates of locations within the treatment volume, wherein at least one of the set of sonication points is identified as a test location, wherein the method further comprises the step of performing the following steps for each of the set of sonication points:

determining if the sonication point is the test location;

in response to the sonication point being the test location, performing a test sonication of the sonication point using the high intensity focused ultrasound system;

testing repeatedly for the discomfort signal from the signaling device during the test sonication;

in response to the sonication point not being the test location or in response to the discomfort signal not being detected, sonicating the sonication point; and

in response to detecting the discomfort signal, aborting the sonication.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

during the test sonication, switch the focused ultrasonic energy on and off at a duty cycle; and

increase the duty cycle during the test sonication.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein:

the high intensity focused ultrasound system comprises an ultrasonic transducer with an adjustable focus; and

the method further comprises defocusing the ultrasonic transducer during the test sonication.