Research Interests Overview
The main goal of the Therapy Ultrasound team’s research is to develop high-intensity focused ultrasound surgery (HIFU) to the point at which it becomes a useful clinical tool for the treatment of appropriate soft-tissue tumours. To this end, the team is working on the optimisation of the delivery of the ultrasound energy, on increasing understanding of the mechanisms by which tissue is destroyed, and is developing new methods of targeting tumours. The main mechanisms for target destruction are heating and acoustic cavitation (bubble formation and activity). We are developing a clinical prototype device with improved treatment delivery and monitoring capabilities.
The team is working with the Magnetic Resonance (MR) Group to develop MR imaging techniques for treatment guidance and monitoring. Focused ultrasound surgery techniques rely on raising the temperature of the target tissue volume to levels in excess of 56oC and maintaining them for 1- 2 s. This leads to instantaneous cell death and is known as thermal ablation. Methods for optimising the rate of tissue ablation are being sought. Blood flow within the target organ may be expected to produce localised cooling. We are studying this important topic both experimentally and theoretically.
Our work with isolated blood vessels is designed not only to inform the safe use of diagnostic ultrasound and contrast agents, but also to help understand the mechanisms by which ultrasound can enhance the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents.
Research Interests
- Development of a prototype clinical HIFU device for the treatment of abdominal tumours, through the rib cage.
- Acoustic and thermal modelling
- Transducer modelling
- Hybrid ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging
- HIFU Quality assurance
- Focused ultrasound surgery: HIFU induced effects on the vasculature
- Assessment of the safety and efficiency of microbubble exposure in diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound
- Tissue characterisation for HIFU treatments
Research Interests
- Development of a prototype clinical HIFU device for the treatment of abdominal tumours, through the rib cage.
- Acoustic and thermal modelling
- Transducer modelling
- Hybrid ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging
- HIFU Quality assurance
- Focused ultrasound surgery: HIFU induced effects on the vasculature
- Assessment of the safety and efficiency of microbubble exposure in diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound
- Tissue characterisation for HIFU treatments
Focused Ultrasound Surgery
The aim of this study was to characterise the effect of HIFU on the vasculature of target tissue.
Tissue Characterisation for HIFU Treatments
One of the aims of this project is to determine the thermal conductivity of soft tissue as a function of temperature, to serve as an input to our thermal model.
