HAND-HELD IMAGING PROBE FOR TREATMENT OF STATES OF LOW BLOOD PERFUSION

摘要

A non-invasive hand-held treatment imaging probe for treatment of acute blood flow disturbances and states of low blood perfusion. The treatment imaging probe is operable to emit high intensity therapeutic mechanical acoustic waves while under ultrasonic imaging guidance. The probe has a substantially rigid application surface, sized to enable seating within a rib space of a patient (i.e. for cardiac applications), comprising the combination of an engagement face of an ultrasonic imaging transducer and an application end of a high powered therapeutic actuator operable in about the 1 - 500 kHz (and preferably 1 - 150 kHz) range. Treatment imaging probe can be used as an adjunct to thrombolytic therapy in the treatment of acute thrombotic vascular obstructions, such as in acute myocardial infarction, or alternatively to enhance localized delivery of angiogenic agents or other useful medications to targeted vascular regions.