Ch 10 HIFU

Question 1

What does HIFU stand for?

Answer 1

High intensity focused u/s

Question 2

What is HIFU?

Answer 2

-A minimally invasive medical procedure that uses u/s waves to treat certain conditions such as tumors, uterine fibroids + tremors

-A noninvasive treatment for prostate cancer + pain caused by cancer that has spread to bones

Question 3

How does HIFU modify or destroy certain conditions in the body?

Answer 3

-The very high intensity + highly focused sound waves interact with targeted tissues in the body to modify or destroy them

-The highly focused energy from the u/s causes the temp of the tissue to rise + the heat destroys the targeted tissue area

-U/s beams pass through layers of tissues leaving them unharmed until they reach their target

Question 4

Does HIFU produce images?

Answer 4

No, it uses very high intensity sound waves to target a specific tissue area in the body that requires treatment + then modifies or destroys it

Question 5

Providers often use what imaging modalities to assess + monitor the HIFU procedure?

Answer 5

MRI or u/s

Question 6

Name one common type of HIFU?

Answer 6

Magnetic resonance guided focus u/s

Question 7

Name one common condition that HIFU treats?

Answer 7

Treating certain solid malignant + benign tumors

Question 8

Why is HIFU used?

Answer 8

B/c it is non-invasive + generally safer than other kinds of treatments

Question 9

Providers can not treat every type of tumor with HIFU. Explain an ideal candidate for HIFU?

Answer 9

Ideal candidates for HIFU for prostate cancer are people who have early stage, low grade cancer that is only in their prostate + is visible on an MRI or u/s scan.

(if cancer has spread or tumor is hard to see on imaging tests, HIFU is not a viable treatment option)

Question 10

What happens before a HIFU procedure?

Answer 10

The pt will undergo an imaging test (MRI or u/s) before the procedure to help the provider find the exact location of the tissue they want to target

Question 11

Treatment with HIFU usually requires how many sessions/procedures?

Answer 11

Only 1

Question 12

What happens during a HIFU procedure?

Answer 12

-Lay on table or sit in chair
-Provider may use a device to stabilize area of targeted tissue
-May be conscious, lightly sedated or under general anesthesia
-Provider will use u/s or MRI to find exact location
-Provider will center head of HIFU probe on or above the tissue they are targeting (for prostate it will be inserted into rectum)
-Provider will deliver test dose to center of targeted tissue (may make adjustments to power of u/s beams)
-Provider will deliver bursts of ultrasonic waves to the tissues
-Provider will use an imaging test to ensure targeted tissue was destroyed

Question 13

List 4 advantages of HIFU?

Answer 13

-Requires no surgical incisions + no radiation
-It can exactly target diseased tissue, leaving non-targeted healthy tissue unharmed
-Fewer side effects than surgery or radiation treatment
-Often an outpatient procedure with short recovery time (back to normal within 24 hours to a few days)

Question 14

What are the risks or complications of HIFU?

Answer 14

-Very low risk
-Can cause skin burns (rare)
-Each use of HIFU can have different possible side effects

Question 15

What is the m/c side effects of HIFU treatment for prostate cancer?

Answer 15

Urinary problems + erectile dysfunction

Question 16

Does HIFU have a long or short recovery time?

Answer 16

Short

Question 17

How is the u/s probe used for HIFU different than the probe used for diagnostic imaging?

Answer 17

They are similar, but the HIFU probe emits sound waves of a much higher intensity

(think similar to how a magnifying glass can focus sunbeams to burn a hole in a piece of paper)

Question 18

What happens when the HIFU probe focuses sound waves onto a tiny area of abnormal tissue?

Answer 18

It will generate enough heat to destroy the cells

(treatment is also known as MRI guided focused u/s OR focused u/s surgery)

Question 19

Does the HIFU procedure make it possible to destroy the cancerous cells w/o causing damage to the healthy tissue?

Answer 19

Yes! Can safely repeat the process as many times as needed b/c the u/s waves can pass through the layers of tissue w/o causing harm until they reach their target

Question 20

UCSF doctors are offering HIFU as a treatment for what 3 reasons?

Answer 20

-Prostate cancer
-Pain from cancer that has spread to bones
-Essential tremor

Question 21

HIFU Focal One is the most well known technique of focal therapies for what type of cancer?

Answer 21

Prostate cancer

Question 22

In order for HIFU to be successful, list 3 conditions that are needed?

Answer 22

-Accurate mapping of cancer with biopsy fusion
-Targeted treatment using HIFU Focal One
-Direct recheck of the result