Key Points
- A comprehensive review article on focused ultrasound for pediatric diseases has been published in Pediatrics.
- The article covers 10 clinical trials addressing cancer, neurologic, vascular, and musculoskeletal pediatric diseases.
- The journal is one of the top 100 most-cited journals in science and medicine.
Focused Ultrasound for Pediatric Diseases
The February edition of Pediatrics, the high-impact journal published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, includes a state-of-the-art review article on the use of focused ultrasound for treating pediatric diseases. The Foundation’s Director of Clinical Relationships, Suzanne LeBlang, MD, formed a collaborative team with physicians from Children’s National Hospital and Stanford University, which are both focused ultrasound centers of excellence, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, as well as a Focused Ultrasound Foundation intern and a medical student from the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University.
“This article highlights the wide range of current and potential pediatric applications that are amenable to treatment with focused ultrasound,” said Dr. LeBlang. “Reaching the audience of the American Academy of Pediatrics will build early awareness for these amazing advances in many specialty areas of pediatrics.”
Pediatrics has one of the highest impact factors (7.124) in the 2021 Journal Citation Report (from Thomson Reuters). The journal is one of the top 100 most-cited journals in all of science and medicine.
“Pediatric medicine is one of the Foundation’s key initiatives, as focused ultrasound could fill an unmet clinical need for many difficult-to-treat pediatric diseases,” added Chairman Neal Kassell, MD. “The advantages of focused ultrasound – its noninvasive, radiation-free nature and need for less anesthesia – are especially important in the pediatric population.”
“Focused Ultrasound for Pediatric Diseases” provides a comprehensive review of the use of focused ultrasound in 10 pediatric clinical trials. Although seven indications of focused ultrasound are FDA-approved for adults, only one indication is currently approved for children — osteoid osteoma. Current and completed clinical trials for various categories of pediatric diseases that are discussed in the article include:
- Cancer: soft tissue tumors (including desmoid tumors), malignant sarcomas, and neuroblastoma
- Neurological: benign tumors (e.g., hypothalamic hamartomas), malignant diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, and seizures
- Musculoskeletal: osteoid osteoma and bone metastases
- Vascular: arteriovenous malformations and twin-twin transfusion syndrome
Focused ultrasound is being used in pediatric populations across many subspecialties of medicine. The mechanisms of action also vary, and include thermal ablation, hyperthermia, neuromodulation, and blood-brain barrier opening.