Parkinson's Disease Treatment and HIFU Focused Ultrasound Technology

How has HIFU ultrasound revolutionized the treatment of Parkinson's disease?

HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) has revolutionized the treatment of Parkinson's disease. HIFU is a non-invasive, non-surgical procedure that uses ultrasound waves to target and destroy affected tissue. The technology has been used to treat a variety of conditions, including cancer, but its use in Parkinson's disease is relatively new.

The presented technology should be considered revolutionary and unique. It is designed specifically for treatment of patients with essential (familial) tremor. In practice, it was possible to prove its effective effect on one of the most common and still incurable human movement disorders - Parkinson's disease.

High Intensity Focused Ultrasound is a fundamentally new approach to the treatment of diseases without need open surgery and performing operations on the brain and its departments.
This tremor treatment technology has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).FDA – Food and Drug Administration). To date, the use of ultrasound in the treatment of Parkinson's disease is at the stage of mass clinical application. In 2018, her test report was completed.

The benefits of HIFU for Parkinson's disease are numerous. It is a safe and effective treatment that can be completed in one session. It's also cheaper than traditional therapies like deep brain stimulation (DBS). In addition, HIFU can be used to treat a wide range of symptoms, including tremors, stiffness, and difficulty moving.

How does HIFU work?

With the help of 3T magnetic resonance technology and neuronavigation, a localized area is calculated, which will be treated with a concentrated and narrowly directed beam of ultrasonic waves. The localized zone in this case is a few millimeters subthalamic nucleus department of the brain. As the cells of this zone are heated, there is an instantaneous and demonstrable clinical improvement in tremor. The final stage is the local ablation of the thalamic zone responsible for movement disorders and the complete restoration of the patient's motor functions.

HIFU focuses high-intensity ultrasound waves on a specific area of the brain. The waves create heat that breaks down diseased tissue while leaving healthy tissue unharmed. This targeted approach allows doctors to treat the disease without surgery or medication.

Technical information for HIFU

For the HIFU procedure, special equipment and hardware is used. It is represented by a stereotaxic head frame (helmet) that is connected to an MRI-compatible ultrasound transducer (1024 ultrasound sources that are directed to a specific neural area). After stereotaxic navigation using MRI, the ultrasound energy is sequentially calibrated to temperatures sufficient for tissue ablation (approximately 55 to 60°C). Each short-term ultrasound treatment is monitored by magnetic resonance thermometry, a direct clinical assessment of tremor reduction and side effects is carried out.

Before the procedure, the patient is shaved bald, because the space between the helmet and the head will be occupied by water. The standard size of the neural zone required for work is 2 by 2 mm. This eliminates the possibility of damage to other parts of the brain. Ablation lasts only 7 seconds. The task is to exclude the work of a certain number of neurons forever, while not destroying neighboring neural circuits.

The whole process takes 2 hours. First comes the brain scan, then image calibration and simulation. After that, the temperature titration process is carried out with a gradual increase until a clinical effect appears. All this time, a neurologist is nearby, who constantly monitors and evaluates clinical results, and the patient himself is conscious, anesthesia is not used. (Patient on video without medication)

In 2023 ultrasonic treatment is applied on both hemispheres of the brain. Heating of neurons and further local ablation with a concentrated beam of waves of a specific neuronal nucleus suggests the absence of side effects. If the Gamma Knife technology involves the use of 120 Gy radiation, and subsequently the swelling of neural tissues, then HIFU eliminates this side effect. Here is an image for comparison:

What are the results and benefits of HIFU ultrasound for the treatment of Parkinson's disease in 2024-2025?

The disappearance of tremor is observed immediately after therapy. The patient is under observation for several hours. It's hard to believe, but the clinical picture is impressive. People with hand tremors, who for many years could not drink a glass of water on their own, can write and draw the very next day.

The main advantage of HIFU for the treatment of PD is its non-invasive nature. Unlike traditional surgical treatments, HIFU does not require incisions or general anesthesia. This means that patients can receive treatment without the risks associated with surgery such as infection, blood loss and scarring. In addition, HIFU is a relatively fast procedure, with most procedures taking less than an hour.