title: Highly directional transurethral ultrasound applicators with rotational control for MRI-guided prostatic thermal therapy.
abstract: Transurethral ultrasound applicators with highly directional energy deposition and rotational control were investigated for precise treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and adenocarcinoma of the prostate (CaP). Two types of catheter-based applicators were fabricated, using either 90 degrees sectored tubular (3.5 mm OD x 10 mm) or planar transducers (3.5 mm x 10 mm). They were constructed to be MRI compatible, minimally invasive and allow for manual rotation of the transducer array within a 10 mm cooling balloon. In vivo evaluations of the applicators were performed in canine prostates (n = 3) using MRI guidance (0.5 T interventional magnet). MR temperature imaging (MRTI) utilizing the proton resonance frequency shift method was used to acquire multiple-slice temperature overlays in real time for monitoring and guiding the thermal treatments. Post-treatment T1-weighted contrast-enhanced imaging and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride stained tissue sections were used to define regions of tissue coagulation. Single sonications with the 90 degrees tubular applicator (9-15 W, 12 min, 8 MHz) produced coagulated zones covering an 80 degrees wedge of the prostate extending from 1-2 mm outside the urethra to the outer boundary of the gland (16 mm radial coagulation). Single sonications with the planar applicator (15-20 W, 10 min, approximately 8 MHz) generated thermal lesions of approximately 30 degrees extending to the prostate boundary. Multiple sequential sonications (sweeping) of a planar applicator (12 W with eight rotations of 30 degrees each) demonstrated controllable coagulation of a 270 degrees contiguous section of the prostate extending to the capsule boundary. The feasibility of using highly directional transurethral ultrasound applicators with rotational capabilities to selectively coagulate regions of the prostate while monitoring and controlling the treatments with MRTI was demonstrated in this study.
authors.affiliation: Thermal Therapy Research Group, UCSF Radiation Oncology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Chris J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Diederich
authors.forename: William H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Nau
authors.forename: Harcharan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bouley
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: Viola
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rieke
authors.forename: R Kim
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Butts
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sommer
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy; D000818:Animals; D002404:Catheterization; D004285:Dogs; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014159:Transducers; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods