This transesophygeal probe was custom developed in collaboration with the University of Washington to treat the pancreas using HIFU through the stomach.

This partitioned video visually compares real-time B-mode US imaging (right) with video (left) of a HIFU lesion within tissue mimicking phantom. The video shows the USgHIFU transducer radiating at an angle coplanar to the imaging probe. Notice the onset of denaturing at the focus occurs around 4 seconds, and through perfusion and heat transfer, extends well past the – 3 dB focal intensity boundaries after 38 seconds of sonication.

The hyperecho (whitening) seen in the image indicates thermal ablation within the tissue as a reasonable representation of the focal geometry. Future iterations are being developed to improve image quality.