Key Points
- The Foundation is supporting the development and adoption of focused ultrasound in India.
- More than 10 centers in the country are using the technology, and we encourage you to learn how you can help this initiative.
The Focused Ultrasound Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of its India Program, an effort aimed at supporting the application and development of focused ultrasound technology in India. In a nation with over 1.4 billion people and a rapidly evolving medical technology landscape, this program seeks to harness the immense potential for the adoption and implementation of focused ultrasound in both research and clinical settings.
Currently, there are more than 10 centers in India with focused ultrasound activity, ranging from research to clinical trials and commercial treatments. Focused ultrasound treatments in India span a variety of medical conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, neuropathic pain, uterine fibroids, prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, bone cancer, and adenomyosis. Indian medical device companies are also emerging, with some developing or distributing focused ultrasound equipment.
Key Treatment Centers
Notably, Insightec’s technology is a critical component in two of India’s focused ultrasound treatment facilities.
Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai has performed more than 3,000 procedures across various medical conditions, making it the second most active institution globally in focused ultrasound treatments. With a wide variety of clinical indications treated, this center has been active for over a decade.
The Royal Care Hospital in Coimbatore, which specializes in MR-guided focused ultrasound for neurosurgical conditions, has completed over 50 essential tremor treatments in less than a year since installing the technology in August 2022.
Ongoing Research Efforts
Himanshu Shekhar, PhD, and Avinash Eranki, PhD, are leading researchers in the field of ultrasonics in India.
Dr. Shekhar directs the Multiscale Ultrasonics in Science and Engineering Laboratory at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, where the focus is on leveraging the rapid advancements in ultrasound technology for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Read Dr. Shekhar’s Investigator Profile.
Similarly, the Medical Ultrasound Research Laboratory (MURL) at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad operates at the nexus of engineering, biology, and medicine, emphasizing clinical application. Led by Dr. Eranki, assistant professor in the department of biomedical engineering, MURL is pioneering in the development of innovative therapeutic and diagnostic ultrasound techniques.
South Asian Ultrasonics Symposium
The Foundation recently helped sponsor the IEEE South Asian Ultrasonics Symposium, which took place March 27-29, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, under the organization of Dr. Shekhar and Arun Thittai, PhD, assistant professor of applied mechanics (biomedical group) at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The symposium was attended by more than 150 researchers, students, and physicians who are currently working in or interested in diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound. The symposium had a considerable international presence and industry participation, which served as a great opportunity to connect the global research community with India to advance ultrasound. Read the Meeting Report.
Focused Ultrasound in India – Industry Spectrum
In the broad landscape of the ultrasound device industry, the sector for focused ultrasound in India is expected to witness significant growth. Comprehensive information for the Indian market is in the process of being gathered, yet the worldwide shift toward this technology is evident in its growing implementation and development across the country.
How You Can Help
Contact Us
The Foundation is actively working to expand the focused ultrasound network in India and needs your help. If you have insights and/or connections, need information, or wish to connect, please reach out to Chief Scientific Officer Jessica Foley, PhD, at jfoley@fusfoundation.org.
Complete a Survey
Additionally, we invite medical professionals, academics, and manufacturers in India to fill out our brief survey to better understand how you can contribute to this initiative.
The Foundation will use the results from the survey to consolidate key areas of interest of focused ultrasound research in India and provide valuable insights into the variety of applications across medical disciplines. The Foundation’s India Program will also use the survey data to understand regional priorities and interests in different applications of therapeutic ultrasound and to help advance the technology in India.