HIFU is an acoustic ablation technology that harnesses the power of ultrasound energy (sound waves) to destroy prostate cancer tissue. HIFU works by quickly heating tissue at a specific focal zone to destroy the tissue.
A good analogy for HIFU treatment of prostate tissue is sunlight focused through a magnifying glass to burn something. When a magnifying glass is held in a certain position, the sun’s rays intersect at the ‘focal point’ below the lens. If you place your hand in the path of one of the sun’s rays individually, there is no significant heat felt or harm caused. However, if instead you place your hand at the point where the sunlight converges or intersects, you will feel the heat and may actually be burned. The scientific principles of HIFU are very similar. Instead of sunlight as the energy source, HIFU utilizes high-energy sound waves.
This principle enables us to precisely treat specific areas of the prostate while avoiding any effect on important nearby structures such as the rectum, urinary sphincter or neurovascular bundles. Avoiding any effect on the nearby anatomic structures is critical because this means that there are minimal related side effects of treatment. By avoiding any effect on the external urinary sphincter, continence is preserved. By avoiding any effect on the neurovascular bundles, which provide erectile function, sexual function is preserved. By avoiding any effect on the ejaculatory ducts, ejaculate is preserved. Our Sarasota Prostate screening and treatment center offers HIFU to patients in Florida.
