Pre-Clinical Focused Ultrasound Equipment

The UVA Focused Ultrasound Cancer Immunotherapy Center houses several focused ultrasound systems for pre-clinical studies. These devices permit a wide array of focused ultrasound energy deposition modes, such as thermal ablation, hyperthermia, histotripsy, and blood-brain barrier opening.

FUS Instruments RK-300. This MRI-compatible system is used in conjunction with our Bruker BioSpin 9.4T MRI in the Snyder Facility (Research Radiology). The system has an arbitrary function generator and RF amplifier (15W), 2 axis MRI-compatible motorized stage, and a calibrated MRI-compatible focused ultrasound transducer (1.5 MHZ), integrated RF power meter, and computer & software for controlling system and prescribing sonication based on MR coordinates. It has Cavitation Feedback and Hyperthermia Modules built into the system.

FUS Instruments LP-100. This MRI-compatible FUS system for small animal applications allows remote movement of the transducer position along the x and y axes and automatic detection and readout of the transducer position along all three axes. The system entails an arbitrary function generator and RF amplifier (50W), 3 axis MRI-compatible motorized stage, and a calibrated MRI-compatible focused ultrasound transducer (1 MHz). The system also has an integrated RF power meter, computer and software for controlling the system and prescribing sonication based on MR coordinates. The system has both Cavitation Feedback and Hyperthermia Modules. It is used conventionally in conjunction with the Siemens 3T MRI system in the Snyder Facility (Radiology Research) at UVa.

Verasonics HIFUPlex Elite 1000. This system includes a benchtop platform with motorized positioning of the applicator and motorized rotation of the imaging transducer for 3D ultrasound image-guided FUS on small animals. The benchtop platform offers x- and y-axis mechanical computer-controlled motion and a graphical user interface (GUI) to control the positioning of the transducers and major parameters of FUS and imaging. Phased array (64 element) transducers operate at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 MHz. The system has a water conditioning unit that provides degassed water as well as a heater and chiller for automatic closed loop temperature control. It is located in the MR5 building.

Theraclion Echopulse Visualization and Therapy Unit (VTU). This is an ultrasound image-guided research system that uses the same VTU as in the clinical system. The system has a linear imaging probe built into a single element 3 MHZ focused therapeutic transducer. It is located in the MR5 building.