Fast algorithm in estimating high intensity focused ultrasound induced lesions

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Physics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is a promising non-invasive thermal ablation technique for cancers and solid tumors.
• Current theoretical models for HIFU treatment planning are computationally intensive, requiring up to 24 hours per treatment plan.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a computationally efficient algorithm for estimating High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)-induced lesions.
• To enable rapid, on-site treatment planning for HIFU procedures.

Main Methods:

• Approximations were applied to the BioHeat equation to create a faster estimation model for HIFU thermal effects.
• The developed algorithm's accuracy was validated by comparing its estimations with experimental results and theoretical calculations.

Main Results:

• The new algorithm significantly reduced computation time for 25 treatment spots to just 1 minute, a substantial improvement over the previous ~24-hour duration.
• The algorithm demonstrated good agreement between experimental, estimated, and theoretical calculations of HIFU-induced lesions.

Conclusions:

• The developed fast algorithm provides accurate HIFU lesion estimations in a timely manner.
• This advancement has the potential to accelerate the clinical adoption and acceptance of HIFU technology for cancer treatment.