Improvements in MRI have now made it possible to develop and implement paradigm-shifting, on-line model- predictive control systems to make thermal therapy treatments more accurate and clinically practical. Our goal is to develop and use such a controller in a novel, completely non-invasive, MRI-guided, phased array HIFU heating system, designed specifically for thermal therapy of breast tumors. This is an important clinical site with a large population of patients for whom current treatments can be significantly improved. The proposed system has several unique innovations including: a new, breast-specific, HIFU phased array heating system with integrated MRI receiver coils;an optimal, adaptive, model-predictive control system;advanced MR temperature measurement techniques;patient-specific treatment planning based on innovative MR tissue- property and perfusion measurements;and interactive 3D displays for clinician treatment monitoring and supervisory control. These innovations will be achieved through the close academic/industrial partnership between interdisciplinary scientists, engineers and clinicians at the University of Utah (UU), Siemens Medical Solutions (SMS) and Image Guided Therapy (IGT). This novel integrated system and its innovative improvements will not only significantly advance the state of the art of thermal therapies for breast tumors, but for all clinical sites.
This study will develop and test an improved, completely non-invasive system for breast cancer thermal therapy at high temperatures. The system will consist of a specially designed ultrasonic, phased array designed heating applicator that is coupled with an MRI imaging system. Together, they will heat the tumor and measure its temperature non-invasively, with both the heating system and the imaging system under guided by a novel, model predictive control system that will keep the patient safe while delivering an effective, practical treatment.
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