Key Points
- Five scientific meetings held in January included focused ultrasound content.
- Use the links below to access meeting programs and abstract information.
Society for Image-Guided Neurointerventions (SIGN)
SIGN was held January 9–11 in Basel, Switzerland. This interdisciplinary meeting seeks to advance neurointerventions by linking experts in clinical medicine, basic science, engineering, and computing. Many central nervous system diseases (e.g., brain cancer, stroke, movement disorders, epilepsy) and interventional treatments, including focused ultrasound, nanotechnology, bioengineering, robotics, molecular imaging, immunotherapy, and regenerative cellular therapies were discussed. Chrit Moonen, PhD, attended the conference, and the Foundation sponsored a session chaired by Linda Chang and Mehmet Fatih Yanik. The session included four presentations followed by a discussion:
- Focused Ultrasound-Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Opening for Neurological Interventions by Chrit W. Moonen, PhD
- Image-Guided Focused Ultrasound Paradigms for Non-Invasive Brain Tumor Immunotherapy by Natasha Sheybani, PhD
- Sonic-ALA Trial – Sonodynamic Therapy for Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma by Francesco Prada, MD
European Symposium on Ultrasound Contrast Imaging (Echocontrast)
The 30th Annual Echo Contrast meeting was held January 16–17 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The three core subjects central to this conference are microbubbles, imaging, and therapeutics. Chrit Moonen, PhD, attended the conference on behalf of the Foundation. Natasha Sheybani, PhD, gave a keynote lecture titled “Engineering Next-Generation Cancer Immunotherapy Paradigms with Microbubble-Assisted Focused Ultrasound.” Searching the meeting program yields 33 hits for “focused ultrasound” and 19 hits for “HIFU.” The next meeting, 31st Echo Contrast conference has been scheduled for January 22–23, 2026, as a fully in-person event in the Mainport Hotel in Rotterdam.
Search the Meeting Program and Abstract Book
The SPECTRUM Conference
SPECTRUM 2025 was held January 16–18 in Miami, Florida, USA. Approximately 200 interventional radiologists, oncologists, surgeons, and radiation oncologists discussed the incorporation of emerging therapies into cancer treatment. There were two presentations on histotripsy:
- “Overview of Histotripsy” by Mikhail Silk, MD, from NYU Langone Medical Center in New York, NY (State of the Art Session)
- “Histotripsy in RCC: How I do It” by Tze Wah, MD, PhD, from Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust in Leeds, England (Prostate & Kidney Session)
HistoSonics participated as an exhibitor and provided live histotripsy demonstrations in phantoms. The meeting organizer, Govindarajan Narayanan, MD, said that he uses the Histosonics Edison device for treating liver tumors.
North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS)
NANS was held January 30 through February 1 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts in Orlando, Florida, USA. Thousands of neuromodulation professionals, experts, scientists, and innovators discussed the use of the technology for patient care. Andres Lozano, MD, PhD, FRCSC, FRSC, FCAHS, the Alan & Susan Hudson Cornerstone Chair in Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto in Canada, received the 2025 Clinical Innovator Award. Speakers in the ultrasound neuromodulation session included Jacek Dmochowski, PhD; Elisa Konofagou, PhD; Amanda Arulpragasam, PhD; Greatness Olaitan, MA; and Viola Rieke, PhD; but additional ultrasound experts presented in other sessions as well (e.g., see Network-Based Patient-Specific Neuromodulation). “Focused ultrasound was well represented at NANS this year,” said Dr. Konofagou. “There was an entire session dedicated to focused ultrasound, with studies that ranged from preclinical to clinical investigations of applications from psychiatric disorders to peripheral neuropathy.” NANS 2026 will be held January 22–25 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Search the 2025 Meeting Program and Download the Program Book
Society of Interventional Oncology (SIO)
SIO 2025 was held January 30 through February 3 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The interventional oncology (IO) community collaborates to advance IO as the fourth pillar of cancer therapy (alongside medical, surgical and radiation oncology). SIO offers professional development, advocacy, and the latest research for more than 650 attendees. Histosonics sponsored a breakfast and industry symposium titled “Histotripsy: A Year in Review, Redefining What is Possible,” with a presentation by Joe Herman MD, MSc, MHCM, the medical director of Histosonics plus a panel discussion to learn how histotripsy is driving change in the management of liver tumors. Additional presentations of interest to the community included:
- Ablation: New Frontiers by Mishal Mendiratta-Lala, MD, University of Michigan
- MR-Guided Prostate Cancer Ablation: Why, When, and How by David Woodrum, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic
- Imaging Biomarkers of Treatment Response in HCC by Mishal Mendiratta-Lala, MD, University of Michigan
Suzanne LeBlang, MD, attended SIO 2025 on behalf of the Foundation.