title: Feasibility study of pre-clinical Thiel embalmed human cadaver for MR-guided focused ultrasound of the spine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) is a non-invasive treatment option based on high acoustic absorption and minimal thermal conductivity of the bone to destroy nerves and reduce pain. There is lack of a preclinical validation tool with correct human anatomy. This work introduces usage of an ex-vivo Thiel embalmed human tissue model for preclinical verification of MRgFUS on intervertebral discs or bone metastases within the spinal body.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thiel embalmed human cadaver was subjected to FUS sonication of the vertebra (with energies 250J, 420J, 600J) and the intervertebral disc (with energies 310J, 610J, 950J) of the lumbar spine for 20s of sonication under MR guidance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the vertebra, maximum temperatures were recorded as 38 °C, 58.3 °C, 69 °C. The intervertebral disc reached maximum temperatures of 23.7 °C, 54 °C, 83 °C. The temperature measurements showed that the spinal canal and adjacent organs were not heated > 0.1 °C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A heating pattern that can induce thermal ablation was achieved in the vertebral body and the intervertebral disc. Adjacent structures and nerves were not heated in lethal levels. Thus, the Thiel embalmed human cadaver can be a safe and efficient model for preclinical study of application of MRgFUS on the upper lumbar spine.
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Medical Science and Technology, University of Dundee , Dundee , UK.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karakitsios
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Medical Science and Technology, University of Dundee , Dundee , UK.
authors.forename: Senay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mihcin
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Medical Science and Technology, University of Dundee , Dundee , UK.
authors.forename: Timur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saliev
authors.affiliation: a Institute for Medical Science and Technology, University of Dundee , Dundee , UK.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melzer
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D004615:Embalming; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D057086:High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D013696:Temperature
keywords: MR-guided focused ultrasound; Thiel; pre-clinical model; spine