Target Selection for Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound in the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

J Magn Reson Imaging. 2022 Jul;56(1):35-44. doi: 10.1002/jmri.28080. Epub 2022 Jan 26.

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common, progressive, and incurable neurodegenerative disease. Pharmacological treatment is the first-line therapy for PD, including carbidopa-levodopa, dopamine agonists. However, some patients respond poorly to medication. For these patients, functional neurosurgical treatment is an important option. Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a novel, minimally invasive surgical option for patients refractory to drugs. Currently, several important anatomical structures can be targeted by MRgFUS in the treatment of PD. However, there is no uniform standard for target selection. This review summarizes the clinical studies on MRgFUS for PD, focusing on the relationship between different treatment targets and the relieved symptoms, to help clinicians determine the ideal therapeutic target for individual patients. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 5 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 4.

Keywords: Parkinson's disease; functional neurosurgery; magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound; target; ventral intermediate nucleus.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases*
  • Parkinson Disease* / diagnostic imaging
  • Parkinson Disease* / therapy