Overview of Therapeutic Ultrasound Applications and Safety Considerations

Abstract

Summary Applications of ultrasound in medicine for therapeutic purposes have been an accepted and beneficial use of ultrasonic biological effects for many years. Low power ultrasound of about 1 MHz frequency has been widely applied since the 1950s for physical therapy in conditions such as tendinitis or bursitis. In the 1980s, high pressure-amplitude shockwaves came into use for mechanically resolving kidney stones, and “lithotripsy” rapidly replaced surgery as the most frequent treatment choice. The use of ultrasonic energy for therapy continues to expand, and approved applications now include uterine fibroid ablation, cataract removal (phacoemulsification), surgical tissue cutting and hemostasis, transdermal drug delivery, and bone fracture healing, among others. Undesirable bioeffects can occur including burns for thermal-based therapies and significant hemorrhage for mechanical-based therapies (e. g. lithotripsy). In all these therapeutic applications for bioeffects of ultrasound, standardization, ultrasound dosimetry, benefits assurance and side-effects risk minimization must be carefully considered in order to insure an optimal benefit to risk ratio for the patient. Therapeutic ultrasound typically has well-defined benefits and risks, and therefore presents a tractable safety problem to the clinician. However, safety information can be scattered, confusing or subject to commercial conflict of interest. Of paramount importance for managing this problem is the communication of practical safety information by authoritative groups, such as the AIUM, to the medical ultrasound community. In this overview, the Bioeffects Committee outlines the wide range of therapeutic ultrasound methods, which are in clinical use or under study, and provides general guidance for assuring therapeutic ultrasound safety.

Dependence of Ultrasonic and Magnetic Hyperthermia on the Concentration of Magnetic Nanoparticles

“…To be more specific, heating in the tumor cells is achieved through the absorption of ultrasonic waves or magnetic energy. However, satisfying results of hyperthermia treatment often demand application of high energies which can lead to unpleasant side effects like pain or skin burns [4]. Still, effectiveness of hyperthermia treatments can be improved without usage of high energies.…”

Anti-inflammatory activity of niosomes entrapped with Plai oil (<em>Zingiber cassumunar</em> Roxb.) by therapeutic ultrasound in a rat model

“…Application of therapeutic ultrasound in combination with physical therapy was summarized in an application and safety considerations report, 31 which proposes that ultrasound can assist in transporting compound, especially a drug, into the skin via a phonophoresis technique or sonophoresis method. 1 Moreover, the ultrasound program with 0.2 W/cm 2 , 3 MHz for 3 min and circulating technique around the inflamed area was designed following the universal anti-inflamed program in the physical therapy clinic.…”

Surface Acoustic Wave Technology and Its Application

“…Therefore, the SAW device has a very good repeatability and consistency, easy to mass production [2]- [9]. And when using certain crystalline materials or composites, the SAW device has extremely high temperature stability.…”