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MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound for Brain Ablation and Blood–Brain Barrier Disruption

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Magnetic Resonance Neuroimaging

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 711))

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.

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Acknowledgments

Sources of Support: NIH (grant numbers EB00705 and EB003268) and the Terry Fox Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Yuexi Huang & Kullervo Hynynen

  2. Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Kullervo Hynynen

Authors
  1. Yuexi Huang
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  2. Kullervo Hynynen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kullervo Hynynen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, King's College London, Coldharbour Lane 125, London, SE5 9NU, United Kingdom

    Michel Modo

  2. Institute of Cell Engineering, Dept Radiology & Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins Univ. Sch. of Med., Rutland Ave. 720, Baltimore, 21205, Maryland, USA

    Jeff W.M. Bulte

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Huang, Y., Hynynen, K. (2011). MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound for Brain Ablation and Blood–Brain Barrier Disruption. In: Modo, M., Bulte, J. (eds) Magnetic Resonance Neuroimaging. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 711. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61737-992-5_30

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61737-992-5_30

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61737-991-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61737-992-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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