2D large aperture ultrasound phased arrays for hyperthermia cancer therapy: design, fabrication and experimental results

Ultrasound has proven to be an effective modality for inducing hyperthermia for cancer therapy because of the spatial control of the SAR that may be achieved. The use of phased-array ultrasound applicators provides additional benefits because the ultrasound field may be changed rapidly (at electronic speeds) and may be used to focus the field at several locations simultaneously. To obtain these qualities, large apertures with element counts exceeding several hundred are needed. However, with the increase in the number of elements, both the control and fabrication process involve greater complexity. Therefore the construction of phased array systems, especially those using geometric focusing to increase intensity gain, has proven technically difficult. In order to avoid complex machining and mounting procedures, a modular approach to array construction has been developed. To test this approach, phased arrays with 192 and 512 elements have been designed, fabricated and characterized in our laboratory. These arrays are composed of flat panels arranged to approximate a spherically shaped aperture. Experimental acoustic measurements for both arrays are presented and compared with computer simulations, showing good agreement. In addition, experimental results using these arrays, in conjunction with a control algorithm developed in our lab, to induce and maintain hyperthermia in in vivo canine thigh muscle are presented. These results demonstrate the flexibility of such applicators, and the control which they can achieve over the SAR field.