Image-based control of the magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound thermotherapy

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided focused ultrasound surgery (FUS) is a full noninvasive approach for localized thermal ablation of deep tissues, coupling the following: (1) a versatile, nonionizing physical agent for therapy and (2) a state-of-the art diagnosis and on-line monitoring tool. A commercially available, Food and Drug Administration-approved device using the MRI-guided FUS exists since 2004 for the ablation of benign tumors (uterine fibroids); however, the ultimate goal of the technological, methodological, and medical research in this field is to provide a clinical-routine tool for fighting localized cancer. When addressing cancer applications, the accurate spatial control of the delivered thermal dose is mandatory. Contiguous destruction of the target volume must be achieved in a minimum time, whereas sparing as much as possible the neighboring healthy tissues and especially when some adjacent regions are critical. This paper reviews some significant developments reported in the literature related to the image-based control of the FUS therapy for kidney, breast, prostate, and brain, including the own experience of the authors on the active feedback control of the temperature during FUS ablation. In addition, preliminary results of an original study of MRI-guided FUS ablation of VX2 carcinoma in kidney, under active temperature control, are described here.