ENDOSCOPIC HIGH-INTENSITY FOCUSED US: TECHNICAL ASPECTS AND STUDIES IN AN IN VIVO PORCINE MODEL

Background High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is becoming more widely used for non-invasive and minimally invasive ablation of benign and malignant tumors. Recent studies suggest that HIFU can also enhance targeted drug delivery and stimulate an anti-tumor immune response in many tumors. However, targeting of pancreatic and liver tumors using an extracorporeal source is challenging due to the lack of an adequate acoustic window. The development of an endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided HIFU transducer has many potential benefits including improved targeting, decreased energy requirements and decreased potential for injury to intervening structures.