The Development of Histotripsy for the Treatment of Liver Tumors

Histotripsy is a noninvasive, nonthermal, and nonionizing focused ultrasound method to treat cancer. Histotripsy is based on the creation of controlled acoustic cavitation from focused short-duration ultrasound pulses at high negative pressures to mechanically destroy tissue at the cellular level without damaging intervening tissue. Treatment zones are highly precise, acellular, involute rapidly, and have relative preservation of collagenous structures such as bile ducts and large vessels. The focus of this review is the development and current status of histotripsy for the treatment of liver tumors.