MRI-Guided Cardiac Focused Ultrasound Ablation

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Abstract The long-term goal of this project is to develop a noninvasive treatment for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Focused ultrasound (FUS) is a promising technique for noninvasive thermal ablation. The effort proposed here addresses the main technical challenges to using focused ultrasound therapy in the heart. Specifically, we aim to 1) evaluate the efficacy of magnetic resonance (MR) guided phased array focused ultrasound (FUS) therapy to non- invasively ablate the myocardium, including strategies to target the heart in the presence of beam path obstruction by ribcage and lungs and to synchronize the ablation to the rhythm of the heart, 2) develop robust real-time targeting and temperature monitoring in the heart using magnetic resonance imaging, and 3) perform initial testing and evaluation of the system. My immediate career goal is to develop the necessary FUS ablation and MR imaging strategies to make MR-guided FUS ablation a noninvasive alternative for the treatment of HOCM. A unique research environment is avail- able to me through interdisciplinary collaboration between the Departments of Radiology, Cardiology, and Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. This opportunity affords the ability to gain a deep understanding of cardiac physi- ology in addition to further developing my expertise in cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. My career plan includes gaining considerable expertise in the principles of focused ultrasound ablation, including field simulations with finite element models, FUS phantom design, and cardiac MR temperature imaging. My long-term career goal is to secure a tenure-track faculty position so that I can continue to contribute to the field of MR-guided focused ultrasound therapies and to make a fundamental impact on patient care by exploring new, less invasive treatment options.