The Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-guided Focused Ultrasound in Movement Disorders—A Review

Abstract

T he use of surgical treatments for movement disorders has been well established for several decades, with a strong focus, in the past, on ablative lesioning procedures and, more recently, deep brain stimulation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is emerging as a newly recognized surgical technique for the treatment of various movement disorders. The most robust data, demonstrating safety and efficacy of MRgFUS, have been published in trials directed at treatment of essential tremor (ET); however, many trials are underway to define its role in other movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease with preliminary results echoing those from studies in ET. The full potential for use of MRgFUS, both in the field of movement disorders and beyond, is only beginning to be explored.