High Intensity Focused Ultrasound In RSNA News

RSNA News, December 2007

"RESEARCHERS at Duke University Medical Center report using mechanical high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to activate the immune system to recognize and attack malignant tumors, pointing the way toward a whole new field in cancer therapy for radiologists. The study was detailed in the August 3, 2007, issue of the Journal of Translational Medicine."

Sounds like interventional Radiology is looking at new horizons yet unseen.

Further details--

Journal of Translational Medicine 2007, 5:34

doi:10.1186/1479-5876-5-34
The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online.

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is an emerging non-invasive treatment modality for localized treatment of cancers. While current clinical strategies employ HIFU exclusively for thermal ablation of the target sites, biological responses associated with both thermal and mechanical damage from focused ultrasound have not been thoroughly investigated. In particular, endogenous danger signals from HIFU-damaged tumor cells may trigger the activation of dendritic cells. This response may play a critical role in a HIFU-elicited anti-tumor immune response which can be harnessed for more effective treatment.