
More than 50,000 men around the world have been treated with focused ultrasound for prostate cancer. It is the leading clinical application of the technology -- more than 50% of the patients who have undergone focused ultrasound around the globe have had prostate disease treated.
The technology has been successfully used to treat a wide variety of diagnoses, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), partial gland cancer, localized whole-gland prostate cancer, and recurrent prostate cancer.
“I believe that we are at a pivotal point in prostate care,” said Michael Koch, MD, Sonablate trial investigator and Chairman of the Department of Urology at Indiana University. “Simultaneous advances in imaging, fusion technologies, and now more focused therapies are going to allow us to precisely diagnose prostate conditions and ablate these targeted areas rather than perform whole gland prostate surgery, which carries a significant burden on quality of life. Focused ultrasound will become the work-horse of subtotal prostate therapy.”

Focused ultrasound is a non-invasive, radiation-free method to treat localized prostate cancer. Using real-time image guidance, the physician directs a focused beam of ultrasound energy to a selected volume in the patient’s prostate gland. The energy heats the targeted tissue at the focal point and thermally coagulates the targeted cells within seconds. This process is repeated until the selected volume or the entire gland is destroyed.
Focused ultrasound treatments are performed with no incisions, leading to few complications and minimal discomfort, enabling patients to return to daily activities rapidly. Because there is no radiation involved, the procedure can be repeated, if necessary.
About Focused Ultrasound
Focused ultrasound is an early-stage therapeutic technology with the potential to transform the treatment of many serious medical disorders. Focused ultrasound is currently approved in the U.S. to treat uterine fibroids and relieve pain from bone metastases. There are a growing number of clinical applications in various stages of research and development around the world, including Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer and brain tumors.
About the Focused Ultrasound Foundation
The Focused Ultrasound Foundation was created to improve the lives of millions of people worldwide by accelerating the development of focused ultrasound. Working to clear the path to global adoption, the Foundation coordinates and funds research, fosters collaboration, and builds awareness. The Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that focused ultrasound finds its place as a mainstream therapy for a range of conditions within years, not decades. Since its establishment in 2006, the Foundation has become the largest non-governmental source of funding for focused ultrasound research.