EurekAlert! -- In recent years HIFU has been widely used for the treatment of solid tumors, such as liver tumor, bone tumor, and breast cancer. The mechanism for therapeutic actions of HIFU includes thermal effects and non-thermal effects with the latter dominated by cavitational effects. Adjusting acoustic parameters of pulsed high intensity focused ultrasound (PHIFU) can control thermal effects and non-thermal effects; short duty cycle and high intensity favors the occurrence of cavitation. Ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) can enhance cavitational effects. Lesions caused by non-thermal effects have characteristic pathological changes quite different from those of thermal lesions.
