ULTRASOUND DEVICES INCORPORATING PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS USING THE DEVICES

An ultrasound therapy probe includes a housing; a therapy transducer disposed in the housing to produce acoustic waves for therapy; a lens coupled to the housing to focus the acoustic waves from the therapy transducer for delivery to a patient; and a phase change material disposed within the housing and in thermal communication with the therapy transducer. The phase change material has a phase transition temperature or temperature range within a range of 25°C to 40°C at which the phase change material changes from a first phase to a second phase, where the first and second phases are not gaseous phases. The phase change material forms a thermal reservoir for managing thermal energy arising from the ultrasound therapy probe.