MR-guided focused ultrasound for brain ablation and blood-brain barrier disruption

Methods Mol Biol. 2011:711:579-93. doi: 10.1007/978-1-61737-992-5_30.

Abstract

MR-guided transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) has been demonstrated as a non-invasive tool for treating various brain diseases. First, FUS can thermally ablate brain tissues under real-time MR thermometry monitoring. The MRI guidance significantly improves the precision of the thermal dose deposition. Second, in conjunction with microbubble contrast agents, FUS can reversibly disrupt the blood-brain barrier for delivery of macromolecular drugs to the brain parenchyma. This offers huge potential for treating brain diseases with a much higher local drug concentration than other drug delivery methods. In this chapter, a detailed protocol of MR-guided focused ultrasound for brain thermal ablation and BBB disruption in an animal research setting is presented.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ablation Techniques / methods*
  • Animals
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / diagnostic imaging*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / pathology*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / surgery
  • Calibration
  • Macromolecular Substances / administration & dosage
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Mice
  • Microbubbles
  • Rats
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Temperature
  • Ultrasonography

Substances

  • Macromolecular Substances