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July 19, 2024
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| 2024 State of the Field Report Now Available |
Today, the Foundation released the 2024 State of the Field Report, which documents the extraordinary progress in the field of focused ultrasound over the past year (2023) – including new regulatory approvals, a record number of patient treatments, and notable first-in-human clinical trials. The report is a comprehensive, cumulative snapshot of the state of the technology around the world.
“Working on the State of the Field every year is a favorite part of my job,” said the report’s Editor-in-Chief, Emily White, MD. “It never ceases to amaze me how the entire focused ultrasound community shares their information with us year after year so we can create this document. It’s a testament to the field as a whole and the communal belief that this technology can change the world for the better.”
Again this year, the report is organized into 13 chapters that address various aspects of focused ultrasound, making the content easier to navigate. We encourage you to read on for key highlights and to share the full report broadly. |
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Focused Ultrasound in 2023: By the Numbers
In 2023, there were more than 141,000 new patient treatments made possible by 1,642 focused ultrasound devices now installed at sites around the world. There was a significant increase in total global regulatory approvals, and Oxford University became the Foundation’s 11th Center of Excellence. Learn more. |
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Patient Treatment Numbers Soared
This year’s report shows a remarkable 44% increase in the number of patient treatments worldwide over those reported in 2022. Due in part to the growth in the field, this increase is also attributed to the fact that one of the major focused ultrasound manufacturers reported treatment data for the first time in recent years. It is noteworthy that 30% of the cumulative brain treatments happened in 2023, of which 96% were for either essential tremor or Parkinson’s disease. Learn more. |
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New Indications Emerged While Others Transitioned from Bench to Bedside
Five new potential indications for focused ultrasound were identified in 2023, bringing the total number to 171. Three indications advanced to first-in-human clinical trials as investigators began conducting studies to determine the safety and feasibility of using focused ultrasound for these disorders. Learn more. |
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Beyond Thermal Ablation
In recent years, the field has been shifting from primarily using thermal ablation to exploring new ways to use focused ultrasound to affect tissue. In 2023, seven new clinical trials were launched that used a novel mechanism of action to treat a particular disease. Also, in October 2023, the first nonthermal ablation mechanism was granted US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance with the authorization of histotripsy to treat liver tumors. Learn more. |
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Focused Ultrasound Approvals on the Rise
In 2023, there were 32 new focused ultrasound regulatory approvals in six countries. This is a significant increase over the 13 new approvals from last year’s report. In all, 31 different indications have now been approved by at least one regulatory body. Learn more. |
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The US, China, and France Led in Research and Commercial Treatment Sites
In 2023, the field saw the addition of 27 new clinical research sites worldwide. The greatest growth was in North America, with 9 new centers. There are now 84 clinical research sites in the United States, 53 in China, and 41 in France. Learn more.
The Foundation identified 271 new commercial treatment sites in 2023. Of the 1,203 total treatment sites, 50% are in Asia, with China leading the region. The United States has the second-most treatment sites, at 245, and France is third with 88. Learn more. |
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Awareness Trends: Billions of People Reached
For the first time, this year’s report includes the top 20 most-cited focused ultrasound research articles over the last five years. Thirteen of the most-cited papers relate to the use of focused ultrasound in the brain, and the remaining seven relate to focused ultrasound for cancer. The Foundation also tracked 31,500 mentions of focused ultrasound in the media last year, resulting in a potential reach of 3.4 billion people. Notable media outlets that covered the technology were CNN, The Today Show, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and BBC, among others. Learn more. |
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| 2024 State of the Field Report Table of Contents
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