Apparatus for destroying limited groups of cells

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR DESTROYING LIMITED GROUPS OF CELLS COMPRISING AN ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER WHICH INCLUDES A CRYSTAL HAVING SILVERED INNER AND OUTER SURFACES, THE SILVERING ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE CRYSTAL BEING DIVIDED INTO AT LEAST FOUR SECTORS; MEANS, INCLUDING A MOVABLE MECHANICAL DAMPER, FOR APPLYING VARIABLE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL DAMPING TO SAID TRANSDUCER; LIQUID MEANS FOR COUPLING SAID ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER TO A PATIENT; MEANS SELECTIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID TRANSDUCER FOR IDENTIFYING THE SHAPE OF A BODY TO BE TREATED WITH SHORT, WEAK PULSES OF ULTRASONIC ENERGY; MEANS FOR ALTERING THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL DAMPING OF SAID TRANSDUCER WHILE RETAINING THE SAME PREDETERMINED FOCAL SPOT, THE LATTER MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID MECHANICAL DAMPER BETWEEN AN UPPER POSITION IN WHICH THERE IS AN AIR GAP BETWEEN THE CRYSTAL AND THE MECHANICAL DAMPER AND LOWER POSITION IN WHICH THE MECHANICAL DAMPER BEARS AGAINST THE CRYSTAL TO PERMIT THE PRODUCTION OF THE SHORT PULSES OF ULTRASONIC ENERGY; AND MEANS SELECTIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID TRANSDUCER FOR DELIVERING ULTRASONIC ENERGY WHICH IS VERY HIGH RELATIVELY TO SAID PULSES TO SAID PREDETERMINED FOCAL SPOT TO DESTROY SAID CELLS.