Focused Ultrasound: An Emerging Therapeutic Modality for Neurologic Disease.
Author: Fishman PS1, Frenkel V2
Affiliation:
1Department of Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA. pfishman@som.umaryland.edu.
2Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
Conference/Journal: Neurotherapeutics.
Date published: 2017 Apr
Other:
Volume ID: 14 , Issue ID: 2 , Pages: 393-404 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1007/s13311-017-0515-1. , Word Count: 179
Therapeutic ultrasound is only beginning to be applied to neurologic conditions, but the potential of this modality for a wide spectrum of brain applications is high. Engineering advances now allow sound waves to be targeted through the skull to a brain region selected with real time magnetic resonance imaging and thermography, using a commercial array of focused emitters. High intensities of sonic energy can create a coagulation lesion similar to that of older radiofrequency stereotactic methods, but without opening the skull. This has led to the recent Food and Drug Administration approval of focused ultrasound (FUS) thalamotomy for unilateral treatment of essential tremor. Clinical studies of stereotactic FUS for aspects of Parkinson's disease, chronic pain, and refractory psychiatric indications are underway, with promising results. Moderate-intensity FUS has the potential to safely open the blood-brain barrier for localized delivery of therapeutics, while low levels of sonic energy can be used as a form of neuromodulation.
KEYWORDS: Focused ultrasound; MRgFUS; Parkinson’s disease; blood–brain barrier; essential tremor; neuromodulation
PMID: 28244011 PMCID: PMC5398988 [Available on 2018-04-01] DOI: 10.1007/s13311-017-0515-1
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