Hong Kong’s first MRI-guided ultrasound offers relief for Parkinson’s tremors

Tuen Mun Hospital has, for the first time in Hong Kong, used a non-invasive, MRI-guided ultrasound procedure to treat a Parkinson’s disease patient suffering from uncontrollable tremors, offering an alternative option for those affected by the condition.The hospital said it expected to provide the procedure to 40 patients within two years as part of further research into the new treatment.Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a non-invasive, incisionless procedure that uses MRI to guide ultrasound waves to destroy targeted areas of brain tissue.During the procedure, ultrasound beams pass through the scalp and skull to precisely remove targeted areas without harming the surrounding tissue.It is primarily used to treat essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease.Dr Jason Ho Man-kit, associate consultant in neurosurgery at Tuen Mun Hospital, said that compared with other treatment options, the MRgFUS procedure – which took about three hours – was non-invasive and produced immediate results.