Chronic effect of transrectal split-focus ultrasonic ablation on canine prostatic tissue

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Oncology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Prostatic cancer treatment in dogs often requires invasive procedures.
• High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a promising noninvasive thermal ablation technique.
• The split-focus approach may reduce HIFU treatment times.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of transrectal split-focus HIFU for canine prostatic cancer treatment.
• To assess the efficacy and safety of split-focus HIFU in ablating canine prostatic tissue.
• To determine if split-focus HIFU can ablate prostate tissue without damaging surrounding organs.

Main Methods:

• A prototype 4.2-MHz split-focus therapeutic transducer and 6.5-MHz imaging probe were used.
• Transrectal HIFU ablation was performed on 5 dogs' prostates under B-mode ultrasound guidance.
• Treatment involved 4 shots at 1.7 kW/cm(2) for 4 seconds each.

Main Results:

• Prostates became stiff post-treatment due to thermal effects.
• Dogs recovered normal urination within a week, with antibiotic prophylaxis.
• A centrally located cystic cavity (0.34–0.45 cm(3)) formed within two weeks.
• Necropsy at three months showed no gross or histological damage to the rectum or prostate capsule.

Conclusions:

• Split-focus transrectal HIFU is a feasible noninvasive treatment for canine prostatic cancer.
• This method effectively ablates prostatic parenchyma while preserving surrounding tissues.
• Further research may establish split-focus HIFU as a viable therapeutic option for canine prostate cancer.