Transcranial Focused Ultrasound: A Transformative Tool for Intracranial Ablation, Drug Delivery, and Neuromodulation

Area of Science:

• Neuromodulation
• Neurotherapeutics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is an emerging noninvasive technology for deep brain targeting.
• It overcomes limitations of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electric stimulation (tES) regarding depth and focality.
• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is invasive and costly, highlighting the need for less invasive alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the physics, current applications, and future directions of tFUS.
• To position tFUS as a transformative tool in personalized neuromodulation and neurotherapeutics.
• To highlight tFUS's potential in treating movement disorders, psychiatric conditions, and enhancing drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on tFUS technology and applications.
• Discussion of advancements in phased-array transducers, holographic focusing, and real-time imaging.
• Exploration of ongoing research in closed-loop systems and wearable tFUS devices.

Main Results:

• tFUS enables precise, noninvasive modulation of deep brain structures with minimal risk.
• Applications include ablation, blood-brain barrier opening (BBBO) for drug delivery, and neuromodulation for various neurological conditions.
• Technological advancements are continuously improving tFUS accuracy and safety.

Conclusions:

• tFUS is a versatile and precise technology with broad therapeutic potential.
• It offers a noninvasive alternative to existing neuromodulation and neurosurgical techniques.
• Future developments aim to expand tFUS accessibility and clinical integration for personalized medicine.