Seminar: «Exploiting non-linear acoustics for MRI-guided HIFU therapies: Shock wave enhanced Thermotherapy and Immune Sensitization to Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy»

Author: Dr Mario Ries – Image Sciences Institute-University Medical Center Ultrecht
Time: 2 PM
Place: LabTAU – Conference Room

Summary: 
While therapeutic HIFU applications in the linear pressure regime have meanwhile established their place in numerous clinical applications, non-linear acoustic phenomena have despite their considerable potential so far been left largely unexploited.
Here we contrast the in-vivo experience of the UMC-Utrecht with non-linear acoustic applications for local control vs systemic therapy. Shock wave enhanced HIFU thermotherapy can hereby overcome the typical limitations of HIFU ablations in high perfused organs such as the liver, while mechanical tissue fractionation allows transforming immunologically 'cold' Neuroblastoma tumors into responsive 'hot' tumors, which in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors lead to a systemic response.