Transcranial MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound: A Review of the Technologic and Neurologic Applications

OBJECTIVE. This article reviews the physical principles of MRI-guided focused ultrasound and discusses current and potential applications of this exciting technology. CONCLUSION. MRI-guided focused ultrasound is a new minimally invasive method of targeted tissue thermal ablation that may be of use to treat central neuropathic pain, essential tremor, Parkinson tremor, and brain tumors. The system has also been used to temporarily disrupt the blood-brain barrier to allow targeted drug delivery to brain tumors.