LabTau's experience in therapeutic ultrasound : From lithotripsy to high intensity focused ultrasound

Abstract

Research on therapeutic ultrasound at LabTau (INSERM Lyon, France) began in the early 1980s with work on shock waves that lead to the development of the first ultrasound-guided lithotripter. In 1989, this research shifted towards new developments in the field of HIFU with applications in urology and oncology. The most significant developments have been obtained in urology with the Ablatherm™ project, a transrectal HIFU device for the thermal ablation of the prostate. This technology has since become an effective therapeutic alternative for patients with localized prostate cancer. Since 2000, three generations of the Ablatherm™ have been CE marked and commercialized by EDAP-TMS. The latest version, the FocalOne™, allows for the focal treatment of prostate cancer and combines dynamic focusing and fusion of MR images to ultrasound images acquired in real time by the imaging probe integrated in the HIFU transducer. Using toroidal ultrasound transducers, a HIFU device was also recently validated clinically for the treatment of liver metastases. Another novel application that has reached the clinic is for the treatment of glaucoma using a miniature, disposable HIFU device. Today, new approaches are also being investigated for treating cerebral and cardiac diseases.