Incisionless MR-guided focused ultrasound: Technical considerations and current therapeutic approaches in psychiatric disorders.

Incisionless MR-guided focused ultrasound: Technical considerations and current therapeutic approaches in psychiatric disorders.
Expert Rev Neurother. 2020 Jun 08;:
Authors: Kinfe TM, Stadlbauer A, Winder K, Hurlemann R, Buchfelder M
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: MR-guided focused ultrasound operating at higher intensities have been reported to effectively and precisely ablate deeper brain structures like the basal ganglia or the thalamic nuclei for the treatment of refractory movement disorders, neuropathic pain and most recently neuropsychiatric disorders, while low-intensity focused ultrasound represents an approach promoting mechanical blood-brain-barrier opening and neuromodulation. This narrative review summarizes the technical development and the therapeutic potential of incisionless MRgFUS in order to treat neuropsychiatric disorders.
AREAS COVERED: A narrative review of clinical trials assessing the safety and efficacy of MRgFUS. A literature review was performed using the following search terms: MR-guided focused ultrasound, psychiatric disorders, noninvasive and invasive brain modulation/stimulation techniques.
EXPERT OPINION: MRgFUS ablation is under clinical investigation (unblinded study design) for obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCDs) [capsulotomy; ALIC] and depression/anxiety disorders [capsulotomy] and has demonstrated an improvement in OCD and depression, although of preliminary character. Low-intensity ultrasound applications have ...

Source: Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics - June 9, 2020 Category: Neurology Tags: Expert Rev Neurother Source Type: research