The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.

University of California

Nathan J McDannold

Ferenc A Jolesz

Alexander Bystritsky

Seung-Schik Yoo

Kullervo Henrik Hynynen

Benjamin M Schwartz

Krisztina Fischer

A system comprises an ultrasound subsystem and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) subsystem. The ultrasound subsystem applies pulses of focused ultrasound having one or more parameters to an identified location in a subject that is to receive treatment. The parameters are determined in accordance with a magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment plan. The MRI subsystem acquires functional image data corresponding to the identified location concurrently with the applied pulses of focused ultrasound. The MRI subsystem obtains a reconstructed series of functional images of the subject using the functional image data. The functional images are indicative of a first region within the identified location in which neuronal activity has been modified by the applied pulses. The system is configured to adjust one or more parameters of the MRgFUS treatment plan using the reconstructed series of functional images.

Methods and systems for modifying electrical currents in neuronal circuits

The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for providing ultrasound treatment to a patient. In one aspect, a method for adjusting a magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment plan with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and an ultrasound system includes: (1) identifying a location in a subject that is to receive treatment; (2) applying pulses of focused ultrasound to the identified location with the ultrasound system in order to modulate a level of naturally occurring hormones; (3) concurrently with applying the pulses of focused ultrasound, acquiring with the MRI system functional image data from the subject; (4) obtaining a series of functional images of the subject using the functional image data, the functional images indicative of the modified neuronal activity; and (5) adjusting one or more parameters of the MRgFUS treatment plan using the reconstructed series of functional images.

A method for noninvasively changing the permeability of a region of a subject that includes a desired tissue is provided. More specifically, low-power focused ultrasound (FUS) is employed to alter the permeability of the glomerulus so as to alter the glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient. By employing FUS after administering a microbubble contrast agent to a subject, glomerular filtration is temporarily increased and the clearance of larger molecules, which are normally not filtered by the kidney, is allowed. This method offers new treatment opportunities for renal disease management.

Method for modifying glomerular permeability and function with focused ultrasound

A method for modifying neuronal activity in a subject with focused ultrasound pulses ('FUP') is provided. Such a methods is applicable for research, treatment, and diagnosis of psychiatric, neurological, and neuroendocrine disorders whose biological mechanisms include neuronal circuits in the brain. The application of focused ultrasound pulses is generally via multiple ultrasound transducers that are housed in a cap worn by the subject. The application of FUP at different tone burst duration, total sonication duration, and pulse repetition frequency settings results in either the inducement of either an increase or decrease in neuronal activity.

Methods for modifying electrical currents in neuronal circuits

A system and method for tracking the position of a region in a subject using an ultrasound system is provided. Training data that indicates the position of the region is acquired from the subject while ultrasound data is acquired from the subject using the ultrasound system. A position mapping table is formed using the training data and ultrasound data; this table relates position information contained in the training data to the acquired ultrasound data. The position of the region is tracked by acquiring additional ultrasound data from the subject using the ultrasound system. This additional ultrasound data is compared to the ultrasound data contained in the position mapping table to identify the position of the region based on a unique relationship between the position of the region and ultrasound echo signatures of the ultrasound data acquired in both the training and motion tracking stages.

System and method for motion tracking using unique ultrasound echo signatures

A method and system for opening a blood-brain barrier are described. Ultrasonic radiation having a frequency below 500 kHz is directed through a skull to a target region and the frequency is adjusted such that wavefronts of the ultrasonic radiation remain essentially unchanged while passing through the skull.

Adaptive ultrasound delivery system

A method of opening a blood-organ barrier of a subject includes providing an exogenous agent configured to facilitate opening of the blood-organ barrier, administering the exogenous agent to a desired region of the subject, and applying energy to the desired region of the subject while the exogenous agent is present in the desired region, the energy being in a blood-organ-barrier-opening amount sufficient to induce opening of the blood-organ barrier of the subject with the exogenous agent present and below a damage amount sufficient to induce thermal damage to tissue in the absence of the exogenous agent.

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Roxbury, MA, United States of America

Nathan J McDannold