Detection & Exploitation of Acoustic Cavitation for Enhancement of MR Guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Heating in Ex Vivo Liver

Delphine Elbes¹, Benjamin Robert², Max O Khler³, Mickael Tanter², Chrit Moonen¹, Bruno Quesson¹

This study aims to detect and exploit acoustic cavitation for enhancement of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) heating in ex vivo liver. MR acoustic radiation force imaging (MR-ARFI) allowed visualization of the local tissue displacement in absence/presence of cavitation induced by a short and intense HIFU pulse. The temperature increase measured by MR-thermometry was higher in presence of cavitation. The spatial distribution of the acoustic pressure (MR-ARFI) in presence of cavitation was coherent with the observed modifications on MR-thermometry. Enhancement of tissue heating with acoustic cavitation may improve the efficiency of MR guided HIFU ablation in the liver.