HIFU is a non-invasive treatment that uses ultrasound to heat and destroy targeted tumour cells. It is regarded as an emerging and versatile tool to tackle some solid cancers and non-cancerous tumours.
The device is ultrasound-guided and works to target organs inside the body completely non-invasively using only the power of sound, without the need for radiation.
Research and clinical use of the technology is underpinned by expertise at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, home to a dedicated High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) unit supporting translational research.
Studies in some conditions have found that outcomes for patients with HIFU are similar to surgery with faster recovery and fewer adverse effects.
The new machine was officially unveiled at a ceremony at the Churchill Hospital radiology department by Dr Rustam Rea OUH Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Director of Clinical Improvement.
In Oxford, designated a Focused Ultrasound Centre of Excellence in 2023, an earlier version of this device has been used for clinical indications such as fibroids and adenomyosis, both conditions that affect the uterus and can cause pain and heavy periods, as well as in research trials to treat cancers of the kidney, liver and pancreas.
This new machine will allow the OUH team to continue to expand the clinical programme in the treatment of non-cancerous tumours, including uterine fibroids, in addition to developing further research programmes potentially involving cancers of the breast and musculoskeletal system, such as sarcoma.
Read the full story on the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences website.