Beyond Imaging

No longer just a diagnostic tool, ultrasound tackles surgery

Stealing a page from Star Trek, research teams in the United States and abroad are independently developing ultrasound devices that would enable caregivers to stop internal bleeding or excise tumors without a single incision. The benefits would cascade into fewer infections, faster healing, and saved lives.

The circled bright spot in this ultrasound image of a pig’s liver marks where a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) beam is killing cells.