Clinical applications of focused ultrasound and the proposed mechanisms of action
| FUS Exposures and Effects on Biologic Tissues | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism of Action | Applications | |
| High-intensity continuous application | Thermal → coagulative necrosis | Thalamotomy: essential tremor,11 chronic |
| neuropathic pain,13 obsessive- | ||
| compulsive disorder36 | ||
| Pallidotomy: Parkinson disease12 | ||
| Solid tumor ablation14 | ||
| High-intensity pulsed application | Oscillation of ultrasound “microbubble” contrast agents | Enhanced agent CNS delivery22 |
| Thermal → regional hyperthermia | Enhanced chemotherapy/radiotherapy37 | |
| Mechanical → radiation force–induced displacements | Induction of microglial activation27 | |
| Sonothrombolysis in ischemic stroke38 | ||
| Intracranial hematoma evacuation39 | ||
| Low-intensity pulsed application | Mechanical → activation/inhibition of Na+ and Ca2+-gated ion channels | Noninvasive neuromodulation33,34 |