Development of a High-intensity Focused Ultrasound Exposure Device for Reducing Skin Burn Risk

Abstract

: High-intensity focused ultrasound （ HIFU ） can non-invasively irradiate inside the body. However, when used to treat fetuses, it can cause thermal burns of the mother ʼ s abdominal wall at the skin interface. This study was carried out to determine whether a modified HIFU transducer enabling split-aperture irradiation can prevent thermal burns. Two HIFU transducers were compared: a conventional transducer using full-aperture irradiation and a modified transducer using split-aperture irradiation. The modified transducer was divided into six sectors for split-aperture irradiation and had a larger surface area and a smaller F number （ focal length / aperture diameter ） than the conventional transducer. HIFU was delivered to eight sites on the left and right leg of a three-month-old baby pig under general anesthesia, and the sites were assessed for thermal burning by two or more derma-tologists. The same person performed all irradiations. Full-aperture irradiation with the conventional transducer caused deep dermal burns at all target sites, while split-aperture irradiation with the modified transducer caused only epidermal burns or superficial dermal burns. Split-aperture irradiation using a modified HIFU transducer with six sectors and a smaller F number reduces the severity of skin burns, and thus will improve the safety of HIFU therapy.