A European collaborative group has begun a translational research project to develop a clinical system that would enable the treatment of a moving internal organ, such as the liver, using focused beams of ultrasound. The TRANS-FUSIMO (Clinical Translation of the Focused Ultrasound in Moving Objects) project builds on an earlier collaboration (FUSIMO) between 11 European countries that created simulation software.

The system will use an MRI-ultrasound combination device to monitor liver movement during respiration, in real time. Data collection will allow the software to calculate the path that the focused ultrasound should take to stay focused on the tumor despite respiratory movement.

Multiple intersecting beams of ultrasound are then directed and concentrated on the target, creating localized tissue ablation. The MRI will measure temperature distribution in the abdominal region to allow precise control.

Last year, the Focused Ultrasound Foundation reported on the Focused Ultrasound In Moving Objects (FUSIMO) project. This project involved collaboration between 11 European countries to create software that could allow focused ultrasound to treat a moving internal organ, such as the liver. At that time, the simulation process had been completed, and they had moved on to testing the software with real patients.

The TRANS-FUSIMO phase of the project was launched in January 2014 with approximately 5.6 mil Euros in funding and will run for five years.