High-intensity focused ultrasound for therapeutic tissue ablation in surgical oncology

High-intensity focused ultrasound as a trackless, noninvasive method of ablating tissue has been a concept with potential for more than 60 years. It is only in the past 10 to 15 years that technological advances in both the delivery system and the monitoring systems have allowed us to begin to truly explore this potential clinically. Although unique technical challenges remain to be overcome, this ablative technique has been successfully applied in nearly all regions of the body, even some hidden by dense bone. The possibility that HIFU may be synergistic in ways that other ablative therapies are not, with both chemotherapeutics and immune system modifiers, positions HIFU for further investigations into multidisciplinary, individualized therapy unique to the patient.