Clinical applications of focused ultrasound and the proposed mechanisms of action

	FUS Exposures and Effects on Biologic Tissues
	Mechanism of Action	Applications
High-intensity continuous application	Thermal → coagulative necrosis	Thalamotomy: essential tremor,11 chronic
		neuropathic pain,13 obsessive-
		compulsive disorder36
		Pallidotomy: Parkinson disease12
		Solid tumor ablation14
High-intensity pulsed application	Oscillation of ultrasound “microbubble” contrast agents	Enhanced agent CNS delivery22
	Thermal → regional hyperthermia	Enhanced chemotherapy/radiotherapy37
	Mechanical → radiation force–induced displacements	Induction of microglial activation27
		Sonothrombolysis in ischemic stroke38
		Intracranial hematoma evacuation39
Low-intensity pulsed application	Mechanical → activation/inhibition of Na+ and Ca2+-gated ion channels	Noninvasive neuromodulation33,34