MR-guided Focused Ultrasound promising for treatment of Essential Tremor

Preliminary results of a Phase I trial of InsighTec's ExAblate System indicate that MR-guided Focused Ultrasound has the potential to safely and effectively control Essential Tremor (ET). The results, presented at the 2011 Congress of Neurological Surgeons, reveal that the study�s first 10 patients showed a 78 percent improvement in contralateral tremor scores in the hand, as assessed with the Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor (CRST). Patients� functional activities scores improved by 92 percent, as measured in the �Disability� subsection of the CRST. Outcomes and complications were comparable to other procedures for tremor, including stereotactic thalamotomy and deep brain stimulation. The single-arm, non-randomized study began in February 2011 and is expected to treat 15 patients who will be followed for three months. If successful, a larger trial will study the overall safety and long-term efficacy of the technique in treating medication-refractory ET. The ExAblate system is also in Phase III trials for pain reduction in patients with Bone Metastases and Multiple Myeloma.