Incision-free image-guided ultrasound for precise brain tumor treatment
Ultra-high precision image-guided incisionless transcranial ultrasound surgery
A new incision-free, image-guided ultrasound approach that aims to precisely target and destroy brain tumors like glioblastoma with millimeter accuracy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11320840 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be offered a non‑invasive ultrasound procedure that focuses sound waves through the skull to target tumor tissue without opening the scalp. The team uses ultra‑high precision 3D imaging to map the tumor and nearby critical brain areas so the device can steer energy with sub-2 mm accuracy. Developers combine advanced imaging, acoustic targeting, and navigation to improve surgical precision beyond current tools. Early work will refine safety and targeting in the lab and animal models before moving toward use in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with localized brain tumors (for example glioblastoma) located near critical brain regions where standard open surgery risks harm.
Not a fit: Patients with widely spread brain or systemic metastatic disease, tumors not reachable by transcranial ultrasound, or those needing primarily systemic therapies are unlikely to benefit from this local, incisionless approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let surgeons remove or destroy tumor tissue more precisely without a scalp incision, better protecting healthy brain and potentially improving outcomes and recovery.
How similar studies have performed: High‑intensity focused ultrasound has been successful for some brain conditions like essential tremor, but applying ultra‑high precision incisionless ultrasound specifically to glioblastoma is new and largely untested in patients.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pinton, Gianmarco — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Pinton, Gianmarco
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.