High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound

High-intensity focused ultrasound, also called MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery, is an incisionless therapeutic technique that uses non-ionizing ultrasonic waves to heat or ablate tissue, capable of increasing blood or lymph flow or destroying tissue such as tumors through thermal and mechanical mechanisms. Because ultrasound-generation equipment is prevalent and relatively low-cost, the technique is expected to offer a non-invasive, low-cost alternative that can outperform surgical care in some applications. It differs from diagnostic ultrasonic imaging in using lower frequencies and continuous rather than pulsed waves to achieve the necessary thermal dose, with acoustic lenses focusing the intensity at the target tissue much as a magnifying glass focuses sunlight to a single hot point, sparing the surrounding tissue; it is typically combined with medical ultrasound or MRI imaging to guide treatment and monitor its progress.