[A novel method for non-invasive mechanical ablation of prostate tumors using pulsed focused ultrasound]
V A Khokhlova1,2,3,4,5, P B Rosnitskiy1,2,3,4,5, S A Tsysar1,2,3,4,5
1Physics Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia.
Aim:
of the study: demonstrate the feasibility of non-invasive mechanical disintegration of human prostate tissue using pulsed high-intensity focused ultrasound (pHIFU), a method termed boiling histotripsy.
Materials And Methods:
An ultrasound experimental system was developed for producing localized mechanical lesions in ex vivo biological tissue samples under ultrasound guidance. A series of experiments was carried out to create small single-focus lesions (volume < 2 mm3) and one large lesion (volume > 50 mm3) in ex vivo prostate tissue samples. After irradiation, two samples were bisected to visualize the region of destruction; the other tissue samples were examined histologically.
Results:
During pHIFU irradiation under B-mode ultrasound guidance, a region of increased echogenicity caused by formation of vapor-gas bubbles was visualized in the target region. After exposure, small and large lesions filled with a suspension of liquefied tissue were observed. Histological examination confirmed that the prostate tissue in the focal region was disintegrated into subcellular fragments.
Conclusion:
A pilot study showed the feasibility of using boiling histotripsy as a non-invasive method for treating prostate diseases.
