Ultrasound is a good tool for theranostics due to have multi-potency both of diagnostics with sonography and therapeutics with high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). In addition, microbubbles and nanobubbles are utilized as not only contrast imaging agent but also enhancer of drug and gene delivery by combination of ultrasound. Recently, we developed novel liposomal nanobubbles (Bubble lipos...

PURPOSE To evaluate the clinical value of the contrast agent SonoVue in the treatment of uterine fibroids with ultrasound-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapeutic ablation. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 291 patients with solitary uterine fibroid from three centers were treated with ultrasound-guided HIFU. Among them, 129 patients from Suining Central Hospital of Sichuan ...

Background/introduction Breast fibroadenomata (FAD) are the most common breast lesions in woman. For palpable lesions, three options are available: reassurance (with or without follow-up), vacuum assisted mammotome (VAM) or surgical excision. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive ablative technique in which an ultrasound (US) beam propagates through tissue as a high-frequen...

BACKGROUND Although high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a promising technology for tumor treatment, a moving abdominal target is still a challenge in current HIFU systems. In particular, respiratory-induced organ motion can reduce the treatment efficiency and negatively influence the treatment result. In this research, we present: (1) a methodology for integration of ultrasound (US) ima...

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) allows non invasive treatment of uterine fibroids without anaesthesia and a fast return to normal activity [1]. For this thermotherapy procedure, MR guidance provides anatomical images to plan treatment of the fibroid, thermal maps to quantify the HIFU heating and contrast enhanced images to measure the induced nonperfused volume. This routine clinical p...

Efficient and noninvasive generation of cavitation bubbles in soft tissue is a challenging task due to the lack of cavitation nuclei (i.e., pre-existing gas bubbles). In this study, we present a method to generate and enhance cavitation activity based on the utilization of two consecutive ultrasound waves at different frequencies. First, a high frequency (5 MHz) high intensity focused ultrasoun...

The effects of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)-induced continuously varying thermal gradients on sound ray propagation were modeled theoretically. This modeling was based on Fermat's variational principle of least time for rays propagating in a continuously varying thermal gradient described by a radially symmetric heat equation. Such thermal lenses dynamically affect HIFU beam focusin...

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is a definitive treatment for localized prostate cancer that is currently utilized most in Europe and Japan but it not yet approved by the FDA for this indication. Within the armamentarium of definitive prostate cancer therapies it is unique as it is truly non-invasive and does not involve incision or excision. The purpose of this paper is to review the ...

Various clinical applications of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) have different requirements on the pressure level and degree of nonlinear waveform distortion at the focus. Applications that utilize nonlinear waves with developed shocks are of growing interest, for example, for mechanical disintegration as well as for accelerated thermal ablation of tissue. In this work, an inverse pro...

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using radiofrequency current (RFC) ablation is a potentially curative treatment option for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The shortcomings of the RFC technology (technically challenging, long procedure times, complications) steadily kindle the interest in new energy sources and catheter designs. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has the ability to ...