# MR-Guided Precision Conformal Ablation Therapy for Brain Tumors

> **NIH NIH R01** · WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE · 2020 · $702,622

## Abstract

Project Summary
Brain metastases (BM) are the most common site of metastases from systemic cancer, with an incidence of up
to 170,000 new cases per year in North America. Untreated BM patients generally live less than two months.
Treatment options are currently limited to resective surgery, radiation therapies and chemotherapy. Thermal
ablation has been postulated as an alternative therapy, but available devices have significant limitations with
respect to conformal spatial control of ablation pattern and access to some regions within the brain. This project
proposes development of needle-based therapeutic ultrasound (NBTU) devices and integrated system to
accurately target and induce conformal ablation patterns for treatment of tumors and validation in a large animal
model. The initial project period resulted in the development of a complete set of tools that utilize real-time
magnetic resonance imaging guided robot-assisted (MRgRA) delivery of interstitial NBTU as a neuroablative
device, which culminated in two swine survival surgeries to date. This NBTU device offers advantages over
transcranial HIFU in that all regions of the brain can be targeted, ablation volumes can be shaped three-
dimensionally, and concurrent biopsy is possible. This competitive renewal project will focus on the need to
modify the device to prepare for first-in-human trials and to validate the device in a significant animal study. The
objectives of this project are to: 1) Develop directional therapeutic ultrasound probes that are configured to
produce controlled intensity distribution of energy along both length and angle to allow for conformal ablation
patterns based on tumor volume. 2) Optimize the robotic delivery device design to maximize its reachable
workspace, and validate this capacity by performing ablations in various brain regions. 3) Improve the interface
between the current FDA 510K approved TheraVision therapy planning and monitoring system, MR thermal
imaging (MRTI), and MR-guided robotic assist device to allow for “point and click” software use; and 4) In
accordance with FDA requirements for a first in man trial, validate the clinically ready version of this system
under appropriate design controls by performing survival swine studies that monitor safety and accuracy. An
FDA IDE application will be filed in the final stages of this project to prepare for a future first-in-human clinical
trial. Successful completion of this project will result in substantial technical and feasibility advancements over
the current state-of-the-art for HIFU, including volumetric MR thermal imaging and customized NBTU probes
and dosing strategies. This project will lead directly to delivery of a new high-precision treatment option for
patients with brain metastases that will provide targeted tumor ablation with minimal collateral damage to
surrounding non-targeted tissue.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10001436
- **Project number:** 5R01CA166379-08
- **Recipient organization:** WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
- **Principal Investigator:** GREGORY S FISCHER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $702,622
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-05-17 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10001436

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10001436, MR-Guided Precision Conformal Ablation Therapy for Brain Tumors (5R01CA166379-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10001436. Licensed CC0.

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