# Image-Guided Focused Ultrasound Treatment of Abscesses

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2022 · $679,692

## Abstract

Abscesses are infected walled-off fluid collections of pus and bacteria and represent a
ubiquitous global healthcare problem. They are common sequelae of surgery, infections,
or disease, and can affect any part of the body. Current standard of care includes
hospitalization, antibiotics, and drainage of the abscess with a catheter. The bacteria in
pus are susceptible mechanical damage with High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU),
which generates localized cavitation and is a potential noninvasive means to treat
abscesses. The significance of this proposal is that treatment of abscesses using
ultrasound therapy under ultrasound guidance is better for the patient because it is
minimally- or non-invasive, has less procedural pain, doesn’t require that the patient live
for up to several weeks with a drain inserted, requires no catheter management, there is
no potential tract for new infections, and no need for CT/fluoro imaging radiation.
Furthermore, ultrasound treatment will reduce the need for antibiotics, and thus reduce
the potential for drug resistant, life-threatening microbes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10447181
- **Project number:** 5R01EB031788-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas Matula
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $679,692
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2025-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10447181

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10447181, Image-Guided Focused Ultrasound Treatment of Abscesses (5R01EB031788-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10447181. Licensed CC0.

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