Also: sonography, HIFU, focused ultrasound, sonogenetics
Sound above human hearing, used to see inside the body, treat tissue without cutting, and even switch on neurons.
Only what the cited papers report.
Values as stated in the cited paper's abstract.
| Property | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hand-tremor score, focused ultrasound (baseline → 3 mo) | 18.1 → 9.6 | Elias 2016 |
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Ibsen and colleagues made C. elegans neurons sensitive to low-pressure ultrasound by expressing the TRP-4 channel, activating them non-invasively with the help of microbubbles.
As reported in: Ibsen, Tong, Schutt et al. (2015). Sonogenetics is a non-invasive approach to activating neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature Communications. doi:10.1038/ncomms9264
Errico and colleagues used ultrafast ultrasound to track gas microbubbles in blood, producing super-resolution images of microvessels deep in the body, analogous to optical localization microscopy.
As reported in: Errico, Pierre, Pezet et al. (2015). Ultrafast ultrasound localization microscopy for deep super-resolution vascular imaging. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature16066
Abstract only
Elias and colleagues ran a randomized trial in 76 patients: MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy cut hand-tremor scores from 18.1 to 9.6 at 3 months, versus almost no change with sham, and the benefit held at 12 months.
As reported in: Elias, Lipsman, Ondo et al. (2016). A Randomized Trial of Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy for Essential Tremor. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1600159
Hynynen and colleagues used focused ultrasound plus a contrast agent to open the blood-brain barrier locally in rabbits, without damaging surrounding neurons at the lowest powers.
As reported in: Hynynen, McDannold, Vykhodtseva et al. (2001). Noninvasive MR Imaging–guided Focal Opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier in Rabbits. Radiology. doi:10.1148/radiol.2202001804
Abstract only