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Dear ,
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Welcome to the inaugural issue of the Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation newsletter, offering the latest developments in focused ultrasound as well as news of the Foundation and its programs.
MISSION
The mission of the Foundation is to shorten the time from technology development to patient treatment, develop new applications and accelerate the worldwide adoption of magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound surgery (FUS). In pursuit of these goals, the Foundation is launching a fellowship program, a research award program and a collaborative network of focused ultrasound surgery sites. At the intersection of these efforts, the foundation will support the development of a small number of FUS Research Centers.
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| What is Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery? |
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Low intensity ultrasound waves have long been used to pass through skin, muscle, fat and other soft tissues, revolutionizing the diagnostic process. In focused ultrasound surgery, the intensity of this ultrasound energy is increased and focused on a small target volume, using thermal ablation to destroy the tissue. In addition to the ablation of tissue through heating, there is currently the promise of many additional important applications of focused ultrasound, including targeted drug delivery and stroke treatment. Simultaneous magnetic resonance imaging provides for precise treatment planning, real time thermal mapping during the application of energy, and immediate confirmation of treatment results.
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| Focused Ultrasound Foundation Website |
| We invite you to visit our website, www.fusfoundation.org, where we have recently added two new features. You can read the latest information on research results, academic papers, clinical trials, patient experiences and new devices on the FUS News Blog. Access the FUS Forums to discuss FUS issues with peers around the world, post opinions of news stores, or share your own experiences with focused ultrasound. We hope that you visit both the blog and forums frequently and that the information you find there will be timely, useful and of interest. We are always looking for new content as well, so if you know of anything that we should be covering, please let us know at . |
| Technology and Industry |
InSightec's ExAblate 2000 MRgFUS updates
A new version of the ExAblate software was approved by the FDA this month. The new version features a new treatment method which can shorten the treatment time and allows for larger fibroids to be treated. The Exablate 2000 has also been cleared by Health Canada for use in Canada.
Revenue reports for 2006 and the economic outlook for 2007 is good for many medical device companies involved in the focused ultrasound industry.
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| Clinical Trials |
MRgFUS feasibility study for brain tumors now recruiting patients
Brigham and Women's Hospital is recruiting patients to participate in a clinical trial using Insightec's ExAblate 3000 system to treat recurrent gliobastomas or metastatic brain cancers.
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| Featured Papers |
| Using MRI image intensities for fibroid surgery candidacy
A study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology shows the correlation between image intensities in T2 weighted MRI images of fibroids and successful treatments.
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