focused ultrasound (FUs)

Pituitary

Focused Ultrasound (FUS) for Brain Tumors is a rapidly evolving and promising non-invasive therapeutic technology. While it is not yet an FDA-approved standard of care treatment for brain tumors, its use is being extensively investigated in clinical trials with encouraging early results, particularly for one of the deadliest forms of cancer, glioblastoma (GBM).


The technology offers versatile therapeutic effects that can be precisely targeted deep within the brain without requiring an incision or using ionizing radiation.

  • The Procedure

    How Focused Ultrasound Works for Brain Tumors

    FUS involves using a helmet-like device to focus numerous beams of ultrasonic energy onto a single, precise target within the brain. The effects produced at the focal point are categorized based on the intensity of the ultrasound used:


    High-Intensity FUS (HIFU)

    • Mechanism: Thermal Ablation (Destroying Tissue)
    • Action: Continuous, high-intensity waves rapidly raise the temperature in the targeted tissue causing protein denaturation and coagulative necrosis (cell death).
    • Application: Direct, non-invasive destruction of the tumor tissue.

    Low-Intensity FUS (LIFU)

    • Mechanism: Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) Disruption
    • Action: This is the most widely studied application for brain tumors. LIFU is used in conjunction with intravenously injected microbubbles (tiny gas-filled bubbles). The ultrasound causes these microbubbles to oscillate, which temporarily and safely separates the tight junctions in the BBB for a few hours.
    • Application: Overcoming the major obstacle in brain tumor treatment: allowing larger therapeutic agents (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, gene carriers) to reach the tumor cells in higher, more effective concentrations.

    Other Experimental Mechanisms

    • Sonodynamic Therapy: FUS activates non-toxic, circulating agents that accumulate in the tumor, making them locally toxic to the cancer cells (similar to photodynamic therapy).
    • Immune System Activation: FUS-induced destruction of tumor cells releases antigens, which can help stimulate the body's immune system to recognize and attack the remaining tumor.

  • After the Procedure

    Coming soon...