We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
GLOBETECH PUBLISHING LLC

Download Mobile App




Focused Ultrasound Device Helps Treat Essential Tremor

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 27 Jul 2016
Image: The Exablate Neuro MRgFUS therapy system (Photo courtesy of InSightec).
Image: The Exablate Neuro MRgFUS therapy system (Photo courtesy of InSightec).
An innovative device uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance to deliver focused ultrasound into the thalamus, the area of the brain thought to be responsible for tremor.

The ExAblate Neuro device is designed to deliver precise high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) waves to target a focal point in the Vim nucleus of the thalamus, a part of the brain thought to be responsible for causing tremors. The proprietary ultrasound transducer consists of 1,024 beams that generate heat at a focal point of up to 85○C to ablate targeted tissue the frequencies used for therapeutic ultrasound are in the range of 220-680 MHz. The result is an immediate and significant reduction of tremor for patients.

During planning and treatment for essential tremor, the patient is fully conscious and lying on the treatment bed in a proprietary MR guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) system. The MRI provides high-resolution visualization, patient-specific treatment planning, and continuous monitoring of the procedure. Real-time thermal feedback allows the physician to control and adjust the treatment, ensuring that the targeted tissue is completely ablated without impacting adjacent healthy tissue. The ExAblate Neuro device is a product of InSightec (Dallas, TX, USA), and has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“I am confident that we have arrived at a tipping point for non-invasive medical treatment,” said Maurice Ferré, MD, CEO and chairman of the board of InSightec. “Focused ultrasound has the unique ability to precisely ablate target tissue deep within the body. With Exablate Neuro, InSightec expands its Exablate product line with a system that signifies a new era for functional neurosurgery.”

“Patients with essential tremor who have not seen improvement with medication now have a new treatment option that could help them to avoid more invasive surgical treatments,” said Carlos Peña, PhD, director of the division of neurological and physical medicine devices at the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). “As with other treatments for essential tremor, this new device is not a cure but could help patients enjoy a better quality of life.”

HIFU technology is based on nonlinear acoustic mathematical optimization methods to analyze and simulate the propagation of sound in material. The information is then used to enhance the shape of an acoustic lens in such a way that that ultrasound pressure is focused precisely on the location of the tissue to be ablated, while the surrounding tissue retains as little damage as possible.

Related Links:
InSightec


New
Diagnostic Ultrasound System
DC-80A
40/80-Slice CT System
uCT 528
New
Mammography System (Analog)
MAM VENUS
Ultrasound-Guided Biopsy & Visualization Tools
Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) Guided Devices

Channels

Ultrasound

view channel
Image: The new implantable device for chronic pain management is small and flexible (Photo courtesy of The Zhou Lab at USC)

Wireless Chronic Pain Management Device to Reduce Need for Painkillers and Surgery

Chronic pain affects millions of people globally, often leading to long-term disability and dependence on opioid medications, which carry significant risks of side effects and addiction.... Read more

Nuclear Medicine

view channel
Image: The diagnostic tool could improve diagnosis and treatment decisions for patients with chronic lung infections (Photo courtesy of SNMMI)

Novel Bacteria-Specific PET Imaging Approach Detects Hard-To-Diagnose Lung Infections

Mycobacteroides abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacteria that primarily affects immunocompromised patients and those with underlying lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary... Read more

Imaging IT

view channel
Image: The new Medical Imaging Suite makes healthcare imaging data more accessible, interoperable and useful (Photo courtesy of Google Cloud)

New Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite Makes Imaging Healthcare Data More Accessible

Medical imaging is a critical tool used to diagnose patients, and there are billions of medical images scanned globally each year. Imaging data accounts for about 90% of all healthcare data1 and, until... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.