Copy of Development of methods for characterising and testing clinical High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) systems
Lead Research Organisation:
Institute of Cancer Research
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The clinical application of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to the treatment of soft tissue cancers of, for example, the liver, kidney and prostate, is a young and rapidly expanding field. To date more than 30,000 patients have been treated world wide. Successful treatment is achieved when the temperature of the tumour is raised to levels at which instantaneous cell death occurs. The focused beam ensures that only the tissue being targeted is heated, whilst surrounding tissue remains unharmed. Safe and effective use of HIFU requires that validated methods for measurement and testing of clinical devices should be made available as soon as possible. These issues have not been addressed to date in any systematic fashion. Clinical HIFU systems are currently assessed on an ad hoc basis by individual clinical departments and manufacturers, using methods, many of which are unpublished. There is, therefore, an urgent need to produce standard registration and testing equipment and methodology that allows users to characterize clinical HIFU systems for the purposes of checking safety and reproducibility of a machine's output, comparing different devices or commissioning new systems. The programme of work proposed is a mixture of adaptation and extension of existing and emerging techniques to meet the requirements of this new medical technology, and the development of novel methods specifically for this application.The overall aim of this project is to improve the efficacy, safety and range of applicability of clinical HIFU treatments by:A. providing validated methods for: * ultrasonic field characterisation using pressure field mapping and acoustic power measurement techniques; * HIFU system performance testing and quality assurance using novel thermal and cavitation mapping methods * patient exposure monitoring by means of electrical impedance measurements and real time acoustic power measurement;B. establishing a world leading HIFU characterisation facility at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR);C. disseminating the successful methods, protocols and equipment to a wider user base through: * scientific publication; * contribution to written National and International Standards; * commercial exploitation.
Organisations
- Institute of Cancer Research (Lead Research Organisation)
- National Physical Laboratory (Collaboration)
- Philips Healthcare (Collaboration)
- Therus Corporation (Project Partner)
- Churchill Hospital (Project Partner)
- St Mary's Hospital (Project Partner)
- EDAP Technomed SA (Project Partner)
- Imasonic (Project Partner)
Publications
Mouratidis PXE
(2019)
'Relationship between thermal dose and cell death for "rapid" ablative and "slow" hyperthermic heating'.
in International journal of hyperthermia : the official journal of European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology, North American Hyperthermia Group
Brüningk SC
(2020)
3D tumour spheroids for the prediction of the effects of radiation and hyperthermia treatments.
in Scientific reports
Giles SL
(2019)
Comparison of Imaging Changes and Pain Responses in Patients with Intra- or Extraosseous Bone Metastases Treated Palliatively with Magnetic Resonance-Guided High-Intensity-Focused Ultrasound.
in Journal of vascular and interventional radiology : JVIR
Shaw A
(2016)
Equipment, measurement and dose-a survey for therapeutic ultrasound.
in Journal of therapeutic ultrasound
Imseeh G
(2021)
Feasibility of palliating recurrent gynecological tumors with MRGHIFU: comparison of symptom, quality-of-life, and imaging response in intra and extra-pelvic disease.
in International journal of hyperthermia : the official journal of European Society for Hyperthermic Oncology, North American Hyperthermia Group
Civale J
(2018)
Focused ultrasound transducer spatial peak intensity estimation: a comparison of methods.
in Physics in medicine and biology
Brüningk SC
(2019)
Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Hyperthermia in Vitro: An Experimental Arrangement for Treating Cells under Tissue-Mimicking Conditions.
in Ultrasound in medicine & biology
Ter Haar G
(2011)
Guidance on reporting ultrasound exposure conditions for bio-effects studies.
in Ultrasound in medicine & biology
Description | We have developed and set up a world leading HIFU quality assurance facility at the Institute of Cancer Research / Royal Marsden Hospital Trust |
Exploitation Route | We have collaborated with a French group by calibrating some of their transducers in order that the data can be compared to their in-house calibration. Publication of our developments allows others to implement best practice including those informing standardisation committees. |
Sectors | Education Healthcare |
Description | European Union EU Brussels |
Amount | £1,668,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EMRP project HLT-03 - therapeutic ultrasound |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 03/2013 |
End | 04/2015 |
Description | FUSF Centre of Excellence funding |
Amount | $450,000 (USD) |
Organisation | Focused Ultrasound Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United States |
Start | 01/2014 |
End | 12/2016 |
Description | Focused Ultrasound Foundation's Centres of Excellence |
Amount | $450,000 (USD) |
Organisation | Focused Ultrasound Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United States |
Start | 01/2014 |
End | 12/2016 |
Description | Euramet collaboration |
Organisation | National Physical Laboratory |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Thermal dose studies were undertaken at the ICR and NPL with ICR leading the biology and physics and NPL leading the metrology |
Collaborator Contribution | NPL provided consultancy, equipment and access to facilities at NPL |
Impact | Publications |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | NPL |
Organisation | National Physical Laboratory |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We carried out the major part of this project, developing measurement methods |
Collaborator Contribution | NPL contributed advice and expertise to help develop measurement methods |
Impact | Papers, conference presentations |
Start Year | 2007 |
Description | Philips |
Organisation | Philips Healthcare |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Working with Philips on HIFU research, and to test their Sonalleve HIFU system in the clinic. |
Collaborator Contribution | Philips have provided the Sonalleve system, and sponsored the clinical trial. They are also funding a PhD student |
Impact | Collaboration is multi-disciplinary, involving Physics, engineering & clinical medicine |
Start Year | 2013 |