Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound in intracranial diseases: Clinical applications and future directions

Abstract

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a non-invasive technique for neuroregulation that offers several advantages, including non-invasiveness, no need for general anesthesia requirement, real-time target localization, and real-time temperature monitoring. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved this technology for the treatment of essential tremor and Parkinson's disease, and its indications are continually expanding to encompass various intracranial diseases. In this article, we summarize clinical trials of high-intensity FUS in the treatment of intracranial diseases. Next, we introduce the preclinical and clinical studies on low-intensity FUS-induced blood-brain barrier opening and neuromodulation. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future directions of this technology. This review aims to guide future clinical trials and provide new perspectives for investigating the neural mechanisms of MRgFUS.

Keywords

• Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound
• Thermoablation
• Blood-brain barrier
• Neuromodulation