Imagine being able to treat deep brain issues without ever needing surgery or drilling holes in the skull. This technology uses focused sound waves, like a high-tech magnifying glass for ultrasound, to reach specific spots in the brain. It uses MRI scans as a real-time map to make sure the sound waves hit the exact right millimeter-sized target.
Current deep brain stimulation requires invasive surgery, while non-invasive methods lack the precision and depth to target specific brain regions effectively. There is also a lack of real-time validation to prove the stimulation is hitting the intended target.
Two functional prototypes of a neuronavigated TUS-MRI system, featuring a 256-element transducer and a 32-channel MR-receiver coil.
If you are a hardware developer dealing with the lack of deep-brain access in non-invasive tools — this project developed a 256-element ultrasound transducer that allows for 3D steering to reach deep brain structures without surgery.
If you are a clinic dealing with high costs and risks associated with invasive deep brain stimulation — this project developed a closed-loop TUS-MRI system that provides a low-cost, reversible alternative for treating brain disorders.
If you are a research lab dealing with the inability to validate where ultrasound focus actually lands in a living human brain — this project developed MR-ARFI imaging to provide empirical validation of targeting success.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost figures are not provided, although the objective mentions the technology is intended to be low-cost compared to invasive techniques.
The project is currently developing two functional prototypes, including a V2 version with 32-channel MR-receiver coils, indicating a path toward hardware standardization.
Based on available project data, there is no specific mention of patents or licensing agreements in the provided text.
The system uses MR-acoustic radiation force imaging (MR-ARFI) to allow for closed-loop adjustment and validation of the focus position in the millimetre range.
The project period runs from 2022-10-01 to 2026-09-30, suggesting the final prototypes will be completed by late 2026.
The consortium is heavily research-oriented, consisting of 8 partners across 6 countries. It is dominated by universities (5) and research institutions (1), with a low industry ratio of 12% (1 SME). This suggests the project is currently in a high-tech validation phase rather than a commercial rollout phase.
Contact the Medical University of Vienna (Medizinische Universitaet Wien)
Contact us to explore licensing opportunities for the 256-element TUS transducer technology.
