MRgFUS – focused ultrasound for the treatment of primary tremor and Parkinson's under MRI guidance

The treatment is intended for patients with advanced idiopathic Parkinson's disease - for patients who suffer from movement complications and severe side effects due to the drug treatment.
The focused ultrasound treatment uses high-energy ultrasound waves to burn a tiny part of the brain, which serves as a relay station for transmitting electrical signals. The ultrasound rays are focused on a certain area in the center of the brain (the thalamus).
The rays heat the area to a spot burn without affecting the rest of the brain tissue. In this way, the abnormal transmission of the electrical signals in the brain is stopped and the tremor subsides.
The treatment combines the use of ultrasound waves with magnetic resonance imaging-MRI. This combination allows doctors to direct the waves to the target in a very precise way and analyze their effect on the patient in real time. This is how the treatment is customized for each and every patient.

Advantages

The treatment brings immediate and lasting relief from tremors in most patients
Immediate improvement in quality of life for most patients
No skull incisions are needed
There is no need for a foreign body transplant

Risks and side effects

During the treatment there is a possibility of tissue damage near the treatment area. This possible damage is reduced through careful control of the duration of the treatment.
The side effects that appear during the treatment include mainly headache and feeling dizzy which usually go away at the end of the treatment. After the treatment, some patients may experience side effects that include, among other things, a feeling of instability when walking, lack of balance when walking, a disturbance in hand coordination and a disturbance in the sense of taste. In most patients, these side effects go away after a month, but in a few cases they remain.

A review of the Ministry of Health circular from the "All Health" website