title: MR-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of breast cancer with a dedicated breast platform.
abstract: Optimizing the treatment of breast cancer remains a major topic of interest. In current clinical practice, breast-conserving therapy is the standard of care for patients with localized breast cancer. Technological developments have fueled interest in less invasive breast cancer treatment. Magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MR-HIFU) is a completely noninvasive ablation technique. Focused beams of ultrasound are used for ablation of the target lesion without disrupting the skin and subcutaneous tissues in the beam path. MRI is an excellent imaging method for tumor targeting, treatment monitoring, and evaluation of treatment results. The combination of HIFU and MR imaging offers an opportunity for image-guided ablation of breast cancer. Previous studies of MR-HIFU in breast cancer patients reported a limited efficacy, which hampered the clinical translation of this technique. These prior studies were performed without an MR-HIFU system specifically developed for breast cancer treatment. In this article, a novel and dedicated MR-HIFU breast platform is presented. This system has been designed for safe and effective MR-HIFU ablation of breast cancer. Furthermore, both clinical and technical challenges are discussed, which have to be solved before MR-HIFU ablation of breast cancer can be implemented in routine clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, HP E 01.132, P.O. Box 85500, 3584, CX Utrecht, The Netherlands. L.G.Merckel-2@umcutrecht.nl
authors.forename: Laura G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Merckel
authors.forename: Lambertus W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Bartels
authors.forename: Max O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.forename: H J G Desirée
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: van den Bongard
authors.forename: Roel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deckers
authors.forename: Willem P Th M
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Mali
authors.forename: Christoph A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Binkert
authors.forename: Chrit T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Moonen
authors.forename: Kenneth G A
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Gilhuijs
authors.forename: Maurice A A J
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: van den Bosch
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D057086:High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D053783:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Interventional; D018579:Patient Selection
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media