What is HIFU?

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is also known as focused ultrasound surgery, which uses focused sound energy to heat and destroy tissues in the treatment of various medical conditions. It is a non-invasive, organ sparing, thermal ablative procedure. The principle of this treatment is similar to the concept of focusing the sunlight through a magnifying glass to burn a hole in a leaf. Like the focal point of the magnifying glass has the highest intensity, the extracorporeal transducer used in this treatment focuses a high-intensity ultrasonic beam on the targeted tissue, depositing high level of ultrasound energy. This highly concentrated energy will be absorbed by the tissue generating temperatures between 60°C – 80°C to thermally ablate the abnormal cells.

Under a precise imaging guidance, a high intensity acoustic energy pulse termed sonication is converted to heat energy at the focal point resulting in coagulative necrosis and destruction of the targeted tissue. Moreover, HIFU causes pressure waves in the tissues causing the tissue to vibrate leading to mechanical cavitation and stress to the cells, leading to cell death. As the transducer causes the ultrasonic beam to be focused at a focal point, there will be minimal injury to the intervening tissues.