What is HIFU Therapy How Does it Work?

In order to understand the basic concept of how HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) works, an analogy can be drawn between HIFU ablating the prostate and sunrays entering a magnifying glass to burn a leaf. When a magnifying glass is held above a leaf in the correct position on a sunny day the sunrays intersect below the lens and cause the leaf to burn at the point of intersection.

If you insert your hand into the path of either one of the sun rays individually, away from the point of intersection, there is no significant heat felt or harm caused. Alternatively, if you place your hand at the point of intersection you will be burned.

The scientific principles at work in this example are the same as those with HIFU.  Instead of light as the energy source, HIFU utilizes sound. Instead of a magnifying glass HIFU uses a transducer. Just as the individual sunray is harmless to the hand, and individual sound wave is harmless to the healthy tissue it travels through.

During HIFU, the physician uses continuously updated real-time images of the prostate to map out and execute the entire treatment plan. These images show treatment progression and permit the physician to customize treatment for maximum safety and effectiveness.