ABSTRACT
In the past decade, three new minimally invasive procedures surfaced: thermal ablations, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided interventions. Each has the potential to transform or replace invasive tumor surgeries. Thermal ablations using surgically or percutaneously inserted probes became an alternative to surgical resections. In the early 1990s, MRI guidance for interventions and surgeries was introduced and became well accepted intraoperatively in neurosurgery, primarily for maximizing the effectiveness of resections of low-grade glioma. MRIbased thermometry was also introduced for monitoring thermal ablations and controlling energy deposition. Finally, after half of a century of research and technology development efforts, HIFU or focused ultrasound (FUS) surgery became recognized as a noninvasive extracorporeal thermal ablation method and has been tested for the ablative treatment of benign lesions and malignancies.
