Newswatch: May 2006

Siemens and Haifu collaborate to advance tumor treatment

Siemens Medical Solutions (Malvern, Pa) and Chongqing Haifu Technology Co Ltd (Chongqing, PRC) announced a collaboration to develop an MRI-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy system. (The procedure also is known as MR-guided focused ultrasound, or MRgFUS.) Expanding Siemens Medical's offering, this technology provides diagnostic accuracy and image-guided therapy options. The main applications of this system are intended to focus on women's health treatments, including benign uterine fibroids and cancer, as well as malignant and benign tumors of the liver, kidney, pancreas, and bone.

"Combining Siemens' MRI technology with Haifu's unmatched clinical expertise in noninvasive, fast HIFU protocols will further the ability to identify and treat tumors, improving care options for doctors and patients alike," said Nancy Gillen, VP of the MRI division at Siemens Medical.

The combination of MRI and HIFU enables improved visualization of tumor morphology and more precise thermal dose control, which is designed to reduce current treatment times. Further developments involved MRI applications for diagnosis, therapy planning, and outcome assessment. Patient treatment will be performed on a special HIFU patient bed inside the bore of an MRI scanner from Siemens Medical.

No clinical trials of the technology have yet been scheduled; a release date for equipment using the technology has not been scheduled.