The Magnetic Resonance Center of the University Children’s Hospital Zurich has completed ten successful non-invasive neurosurgeries. The use of an MR-guided transcranial high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) did the trick.
Used for years to treat uterine fibroids and prostate cancer, the efficacy and safety of HIFU for neurosurgery was recently proven by Professors Daniel Jeanmonod and Ernst Martin. While the MR-scanner, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), monitors and times the surgery, the HIFU produces beams that permeate the skull, reaching the brain. Precisely defined areas of the brain focused to 3 or 4mm in diameter are then coagulated to 60⁰C for 10 to 20 seconds. The MRI continues to provide details including temperature and maps for doctors throughout the surgery. The procedures took about 7 hours to complete and were done without the use of anesthesia.
This technology can revolutionize neurosurgery. Without a single complication, the use of screening technology must be recognized as a brilliant contributor to the study and practice of medicine. Especially in an organ, such as the brain, that is so sensitive, this sonication is quite an impressive feat. Brain diseases account for one third of all chronic illnesses, ranging from ALS to stroke to Alzheimer ’s disease. We look forward to hearing about the upcoming variety of non-invasive treatments for brain diseases.
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