Reporter and Curator: Dr. Sudipta Saha, Ph.D.
MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) surgery is a noninvasive thermal ablation method that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for target definition, treatment planning, and closed-loop control of energy deposition. Ultrasound is a form of energy that can pass through skin, muscle, fat and other soft tissue so no incisions or inserted probes are needed. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) pinpoints a small target and provides a therapeutic effect by raising the temperature high enough to destroy the target with no damage to surrounding tissue. Integrating FUS and MRI as a therapy delivery system allows physicians to localize, target, and monitor in real time, and thus to ablate targeted tissue without damaging normal structures. This precision makes MRgFUS an attractive alternative to surgical resection or radiation therapy of benign and malignant tumors.
Hypothalamic hamartoma is a rare, benign (non-cancerous) brain tumor that can cause different types of seizures, cognitive problems or other symptoms. While the exact number of people with hypothalamic hamartomas is not known, it is estimated to occur in 1 out of 200,000 children and teenagers worldwide. In one such case at Nicklaus Children’s Brain Institute, USA the patient was able to return home the following day after FUS, resume normal regular activities and remained seizure free. Patients undergoing standard brain surgery to remove similar tumors are typically hospitalized for several days, require sutures, and are at risk of bleeding and infections.
MRgFUS is already approved for the treatment of uterine fibroids. It is in ongoing clinical trials for the treatment of breast, liver, prostate, and brain cancer and for the palliation of pain in bone metastasis. In addition to thermal ablation, FUS, with or without the use of microbubbles, can temporarily change vascular or cell membrane permeability and release or activate various compounds for targeted drug delivery or gene therapy. A disruptive technology, MRgFUS provides new therapeutic approaches and may cause major changes in patient management and several medical disciplines.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4005559/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/focused-ultrasound-surgery/about/pac-20384707
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3097768/
https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-treatments/m/mr-guided-focused-ultrasound.html
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