Description:
Summary
This technology pairs a novel coil design with patient-specific stereotactic frames for precise delivery of focused ultrasound (FUS) during neuromodulation therapies. This innovative methodology enables patients to receive therapy while outside the MR environment and significantly increases the precision of noninvasive neuromodulation techniques, making treatments more accessible and effective.
Addressed Need
Neuromodulation involves stimulating specific brain regions to modify neurological activities, often to treat patients with severe chronic conditions. Currently available solutions are either highly invasive with precise targeting or noninvasive with limited precision. Focused ultrasound (FUS) represents a promising noninvasive technique, but its wider adoptionis hindered by challenges in image guidance and MRI integration. This technology directly addresses these challenges by providing a high-precision, patient-specific solution that enables FUS delivery outside the confining MR environment.
Key Benefits
Superior precision with targeting accuracy under 1mm, outperforming conventional techniques that achieve only 2-3mm under ideal conditions
Patient-specific design creates customized treatment plans tailored to individual anatomy
Reduced acoustic dosage due to improved targeting, enhancing patient safety
Greater accessibility by enabling treatment outside the MRI environment, reducing facility requirements and costs
Technology Features
Novel RF coil array design that significantly increases signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for enhanced functional MRI capabilities
Dual-purpose functionality supporting both fMRI usage and sufficient thermometry during thermal ablation
MR-guided mapping using thermometry or acoustic resonance force imaging (MR-ARFI) to build patient-specific frames
Custom stereotactic frames that maintain precise contact with the skull for optimal ultrasound delivery
Figure
The specialized MRI coil array device shown with its stereotactic frame attached to a non-human primate skull, demonstrating the precise positioning required for focused ultrasound delivery.
Intellectual Property Status
Patent Pending (US- 2023-0398380-A1)
Stage of Development:
The device has been constructed with preliminary data gathered in non-human primates.
CTTC Contact
Chris Harris, PhD
chris.harris@Vanderbilt.Edu
VU Ref. Number
VU20122