Focused ultrasound & histotripsy
Destroying tumours from outside the body with tightly focused sound waves, using either heat or microscopic bubbles.
HIFU is approved for prostate cancer focal therapy and uterine fibroids. Histotripsy (HistoSonics Edison, FDA 2023) mechanically liquefies liver tumours without heat, with early evidence of immune activation. Trials extend to kidney and pancreas.
How it works
Extracorporeal transducer focuses acoustic energy; thermal coagulation (HIFU) or cavitation-driven mechanical fractionation (histotripsy).
- Completely non-invasive
- No ionising radiation
- Acoustic window (ribs, bowel gas)
- Long-term oncologic data limited
Latest papers
topQuery for this technology: (TITLE:"high-intensity focused ultrasound" OR ABSTRACT:"high-intensity focused ultrasound" OR TITLE:"histotripsy" OR ABSTRACT:"histotripsy" OR TITLE:"focused ultrasound" OR ABSTRACT:"focused ultrasound") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Focused ultrasound & histotripsy, not a curated reading list.
Pages like this
not linked directly; found by shared links- TechnologyThermal ablation (RFA, microwave, cryo)
Shares Photothermal (plasmonic) nanoparticle ablation, Histotripsy as an immune primer, Mechanically pulverise one tumour with ultrasound to wake the immune system, In situ vaccination.
- TechnologyIrreversible electroporation (NanoKnife)
Shares Mechanically pulverise one tumour with ultrasound to wake the immune system, Device-agnostic public trials of ablation technologies against surgery, Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, Prostate cancer.
- IdeaUltrasound-assisted blood test instead of a brain biopsy
Shares Insightec, Focused-ultrasound blood-brain barrier opening, Glioma & glioblastoma.
- IdeaOpen the barrier so engineered immune cells can enter the brain
Shares Insightec, Focused-ultrasound blood-brain barrier opening, Glioma & glioblastoma.
- TermAbscopal effect
Shares Histotripsy as an immune primer, Mechanically pulverise one tumour with ultrasound to wake the immune system, In situ vaccination.
- TermImmunogenic cell death
Shares Histotripsy as an immune primer, Mechanically pulverise one tumour with ultrasound to wake the immune system, In situ vaccination.
- InstitutionRobert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University
Shares Focused-ultrasound blood-brain barrier opening, Glioma & glioblastoma, Prostate cancer.
- IdeaA standing platform trial for every major cancer, funded as infrastructure
Shares Glioma & glioblastoma, Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, Prostate cancer.