Non-invasive device destroys tumors with sound waves

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a device that uses ultrasound waves to destroy tumors in the liver.

HistoSonics' tumor-destroying device. Photo: Erica Bass

The device, called histotripsy, does not require needles, knives, or drugs and was developed by HistoSonics, a company founded in 2009 by engineers and doctors at the University of Michigan, Popular Science reported on October 15. The decision to grant the license was made after the results of a series of clinical trials showed that the device can effectively destroy liver tumors while still being safe for patients. Currently, hospitals in the US can buy the device and provide treatment options to patients.

The machine works by aiming high-energy ultrasound pulses directly at the tumor, creating clusters of microbubbles inside. As the bubbles form and burst, they exert pressure on surrounding cells and tissues, creating conditions that disrupt the tumor’s internal structure, leaving behind scattered fragments that the immune system can then process.

After the patient is anesthetized, the treatment head, which looks like a pair of virtual reality goggles, is placed on their abdomen. The doctor looks through a monitor screen to see and locate the tumor. Next, they deliver ultrasound waves. The procedure is quick and painless, and recovery time after treatment is very short.

The dual cameras also allow the doctor to see the sound waves directed at the tumor while avoiding other parts of the body. The robotic arm removes obstacles to better target the tumor. In the process, the patient’s immune system also learns to recognize the tumor cells as a threat, preventing reinfection or metastasis in 80% of the mice.

The results are encouraging. Tissue milling has been used in a number of preclinical trials for tumors outside the brain, including kidney, breast, pancreatic, and musculoskeletal cancers. Outside tumors, a similar technique called lithotripsy also painfully breaks up kidney stones until they are small enough to pass naturally through the body.

An Khang (According to Popsci )

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