HIFU for Prostate Cancer

What Is HIFU?

HIFU, an acronym that stands for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, is a state-of-the-art medical procedure that uses the power of sound waves to treat prostate cancer. Most HIFU devices are used to heat and quickly destroy diseased or problematic tissue within the body without the need for surgery or radiation.

How HIFU Works

In general, the HIFU delivery device sends a series of ultrasound waves into the body. These pass through the tissue until they reach a specified point inside the body where several waves intersect. The intersection of the waves creates an intense heat. The heat generated by the overlapping sound waves is high enough to destroy the tissue. The goal of HIFU treatment is to do this without damaging the surrounding tissues. Ultrasound imaging is also used to capture images inside the body. Some HIFU delivery devices not only deliver the treatment, but also capture images of the area being treated. This dual technique allows physicians to treat and monitor treatment at the same time.

Benefits of HIFU Treatment

HIFU treatment offers patients with prostate cancer several benefits over traditional surgery or radiation. First, most HIFU therapy can be done on an outpatient basis. The minimally invasive treatment does not involve surgery, which limits risks of infection and blood loss. According to current research, ultrasound energy used in HIFU treatment does not appear to accumulate in the tissue it passes through, unlike other focused energy therapies like radiation. Therefore, the risk of damage to surrounding tissue and the resultant side effects such as impotence, incontinence, and diarrhea are minimal.

HIFU History

HIFU has recently gained recognition, but it is not a new treatment option. In fact, investigation into the potential to use HIFU to treat diseased tissue started in the 1940s. William and Francis Fry began experimenting with HIFU more deeply in the 1950s. The French National Institute for Medical Research began studying the effect of HIFU treatment on tissue in the 1980s. After the turn of the century, HIFU delivery devices were put into use in clinics around the globe, and in the United States clinical trials of HIFU as an ablation technique for diseased tissue began. Today researchers and medical professionals across the country are pushing for FDA approval of various HIFU delivery devices in the United States.