[Therapies by focused ultrasound].
Many techniques of thermotherapy have emerged over the last several years in the field of oncology using different types of physical agents, including ultrasound. Only ultrasound can target deep seated lesions non-invasively without need for percutaneous probe insertion. Depending on their utilization, it is possible to select either thermal effects, in a continuous mode, at low temperature (allowing thermo-induced biological effects) or at high temperature (allowing thermoablation), or mechanical effects, in a pulsed mode, at low energy level (allowing biological effects) or at high energy levels (histotripsy). Thermoablation by focused ultrasound is now developing fast for applications in many organs. It gained a well defined role for the treatment of prostatic cancer and uterine leiomyoma but needs to be better evaluated in other organs such as the breast. Treatment of abdominal tumors must still be considered as experimental as long as problems related to acoustic interfaces (produced by ribs and gas) and movement correction are not resolved. Biological applications of focused ultrasound are currently being explored and have a great long term potential.
Grenier
N
N
Service d'Imagerie Diagnostique et Interventionnelle de l'Adulte, Groupe Hospitalier Pellegrin, Place Amélie Raba-Léon, 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France. nicolas.grenier@chu-bordeaux.fr
Trillaud
H
H
Palussière
J
J
Mougenot
C
C
Quesson
B
B
Denis De Senneville
B
B
Moonen
C
C
D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy