Leveraging Verasonics Systems for HIFU Research & Therapy Development

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is one of the most studied methods for the treatment of tumors, fibroids, and similar issues. With integrated devices that offer both imaging and treatment delivery, researchers can look into effective ways for non-invasive treatment.

The Vantage 256, Vantage 128, and Vantage 64LE are manufactured by Verasonics for medical applications like High Intensity Focused Ultrasound and Sonoporation. These devices deliver precise imaging and therapy delivery to those suffering from tumors, fibroids, and essential tremors.

Let’s take a look at what Verasonics has to offer in terms of HIFU Research Ultrasound Systems and what makes them stand apart.

What is HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound) Research and Therapy Development?

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a medical procedure that uses ultrasound waves to treat certain conditions like tumors, uterine fibroids, and tremors. Through real-time imaging guidance, this non-invasive method allows precise thermal ablation of the targeted tissue.

Further, HIFU Research Ultrasound Systems have the following therapeutic applications:

• Oncology: Non-invasive treatment of benign and malignant tumors.
• Uterine Fibroids: Thermal ablation of the uterine fibroids.
• Neurology: Treating Essential Tumors by destroying a tiny amount of brain tissue in the thalamus.
• Pain Management: Treating bone metastases and pain-producing nerve tissue.

Overview of the Verasonics Ultrasound Systems for HIFU Research

The Verasonics’ Vantage® HIFU System is an excellent platform for ultrasound-guided focused ultrasound (USgFUS) research. These enable both high-resolution imaging and energy delivery through software control. Equipped with customizable hardware and software, these are designed for the development and validation of novel HIFU therapies.

The Vantage® HIFU Research Ultrasound Systems have integrated advanced hardware and software components and are designed to deliver high-powered ultrasound sequences, which are used for therapeutic applications such as tissue ablation. Further, it also generates high-resolution ultrasound images, providing comprehensive, real-time guidance and monitoring during therapy.

With the Vantage® systems, the researchers have access to individual element digitized RF data. This offers better control over beamforming. Additionally, it has a MATLAB interface, making it easy to use. Additionally, simulation tools are also available and enable script evaluation and testing without actual hardware acquisition.

Key Features of the Verasonics Systems Beneficial for HIFU Research

The features that make the Verasonics system one of the best research ultrasound systems are:

• Integrated imaging and therapy delivery.
• Multi-channel (128 Tx / 64 Rx to 256 Tx / 256 Rx) arbitrary waveform generation capability.
• Wider frequency range:
  • Receiving: 0.5 to 27 MHz (up to 50 MHz with filter adjustment)
  • Transmitting: 0.5 MHz to 20 MHz
• Extended transmit options for high-energy delivery
• High-fidelity 14-bit A/D conversion along with programmable sample rate of up to 62.5 MHz.
• Control and flexibility over transmit pulse, shape, voltage, polarity, and frequency.
• High-speed data acquisition of up to 100,000 frames/second
• Easy programmability with MATLAB® interface and the availability of a huge library of example scripts.

Applications of the Verasonics System in HIFU Research

The key applications of the HIFU Research Ultrasound Systems are as follows:

• Thermal ablation of targeted tissue (both benign and malignant) in organs such as the liver, prostate, and kidneys.
• Mechanical tissue disruption (histotripsy) to precisely fractionate tissues.
• Blood-brain barrier opening for the delivery of therapeutics to the brain.
• Sonoporation and gene therapy, which increase the permeability of the cell membranes, improve the delivery of therapeutic agents for non-invasive gene therapy.
• Immunomodulation and therapy enhancement by inducing localized inflammation or antigen release.
• Neuromodulation (influencing neurological activity) for treating neurological conditions.

Advantages of Opting for Verasonics for HIFU Research and Therapy Development

By choosing Verasonics, you get access to the best research ultrasound system that provides the following advantages over other systems:

• Control and flexibility over the transmit and receive parameters.
• Essay programming and incorporation of custom algorithms with MATLAB.
• Real-time access to raw radio-frequency (RF) data from each channel.
• Highly configurable and scalable systems.
• Compatible with custom transducers of various configurations, frequencies, and geometries.
• Suited for high-speed applications with high-framerate acquisition.
• Pre-integrated solutions like HIFUPlex allow researchers to save on overhead expenses.
• Streamlined workflow with both the imaging and therapy pulses on a single system.
• Availability of dedicated technical support.

Getting Started: Selecting the Right Verasonics System

Though the Verasonics devices are one of the best research ultrasound systems, researchers need to follow the steps below to make the most of them:

• Choose the right system and channel models based on the available HIFU configurations.
• Complete the physical setup and transducer selection with technical guidance from Verasonics.
• Program the system using Verasonics’ customer software development kit (compatible with MATLAB).
• Calibrate, test, and validate the device to check it thoroughly.
• Use Verasonics’ extensive documentation, resources, and online training guides to support your team with system setup and use.

Wrapping Up

Combining imaging with therapy, the Verasonics HIFU Research Ultrasound systems allow flexible and comprehensive exploration and monitoring during therapeutic procedures. These are available and various configurations to suit the applications, necessitating the need for understanding what each offers and selecting the right device.

High Accuracy Therapeutic Ultrasound with Verasonics

Ready to take the next step into HIFU research and therapy development? Explore the devices offered by Verasonics, evaluate what you need, and get in touch with their experts.

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