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John Crowe's hands were often shaky, but MRI-guided focused ultrasound treatment made his tremor decrease. Read John's story.

This non-invasive technology for treating essential tremor uses detailed brain imaging and heat-generating sonic waves from ultrasound technology to pinpoint and kill brain cells associated with the tremor.

The University of Maryland Medical Center is among the first institution to offer MRI-guided focused ultrasound (FUS) to patients.

UMMC has been leading research for its use in Parkinson's and studying MRI-guided focused ultrasound to open the blood-brain barrier for patients with brain tumors. 

For more information about focused ultrasound and clinical trials, email us at FocusedUltrasound@som.umaryland.edu or call:

The Procedure

During the procedure, more than 1,000 sonic waves are directed at a precise spot in the brain, traveling through the skull. The sonic waves must reach the target at the same exact time for the procedure to work.

To make sure the waves hit the correct spot associated with the tremor, radiologists use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to create a map of the brain and pinpoint the target. Once it’s confirmed that no other parts of the brain will be affected, the temperature of the sonic waves is turned up to kill the targeted cells.

During treatment, the patient is awake and interacting with the care team. Patients experience a 50 to 60 percent reduction of the tremor, allowing for a greater quality of life — even for those whose tremor was not correctable with the best medicines.

Patients who undergo FUS can have side effects, such as changes in sensation in the hand or problems with balance, but these issues are rarely serious.

Make An Appointment

For more information about focused ultrasound and clinical trials, email us at FocusedUltrasound@som.umaryland.edu or call:

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