Tremor Improvement from MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) | UCLA Neurosurgery

For individuals with Essential Tremor or Parkinson’s Disease, loss of normal motor function can not only be physically debilitating, but also challenging to process emotionally.
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new form of treatment for drug-resistant Essential Tremor and Parkinson’s Disease called MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS). MRgFUS is an incision-less, non-surgical procedure that is completed in one short outpatient appointment and offers immediate results.
MRgFUS works by utilizing high-energy ultrasound beams to target and lesion the area of the brain that is responsible for the tremor. A unique aspect of the procedure is that it is completed while the patient is awake and without anesthesia.
Prior to the procedure, the patient traces two spirals and lines. During the procedure, this exercise is repeated several times to ensure that the lesion is targeting the correct area. After, the patient completes the same drawing to demonstrate the improvement in their tremor. This marked change is depicted in the video.
The results from the procedure are typically permanent, and patients see a meaningful reduction or complete elimination of their tremor.
UCLA is the most experienced hospital in California that offers MRgFUS. MRgFUS is a joint effort between the departments of Neurosurgery and Neurology at UCLA, and Dr. Ausaf Bari, UCLA Neurosurgeon and Director of the Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery Program, performs the procedure.
Learn more about MRgFUS here: www.uclahealth...