Ultrasounds are traditionally used for imaging.

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当前的超声应用程序

Ultrasounds are traditionally used for imaging, usually in internal medicine and prenatal applications. Common newer applications for ultrasound technology include:

• Shock Wave Lithotripsy- 此过程利用有针对性的超声波to break up kidney stones和other calcium-based growths in the body. It’s most commonly used to break up stones that are too large to pass, or ones that will not pass naturally. It is an alternative to surgery.

• Dental Descaling— Ultrasoundshave been used for periodontal therapyin the form of ultrasound debridement. When used correctly, ultrasound debridement is more efficient and effective than manual debridement.

超声技术还有其他不太常见的用途，但是它们的应用或研究并不多。

1. 肝肿瘤的超声

传统治疗肝癌和肿瘤的治疗方法是通过手术去除恶性组织，然后通过放射线和化学疗法的结合治疗所有其余细胞。通过利用靶向超声波，可以在不需要手术干预的情况下破坏肝肿瘤。波浪由1000多个微发射器发射，使体内的组织烧毁。

It is not an easy procedure — the liver moves with the patient’s breath, so treatment requires the patient to either hold their breath or be sedated. The liver also lies behind the rib cage, so the emitters need to be calibrated to avoid doing damage to the ribs. Bypairing real-time MRI imagerywith these micro-emitters, surgery can be avoided by destroying the malignant cells without the need for invasive surgery.

Additionally, the use of ultrasound technology to cauterize tumors internally would prevent the creation of surgical smoke, which can causea dangerous decrease in surgeon visibility. Surgical smoke is a hazard for any procedure that utilizes electro-cauterization techniques.

2. Immunotherapy-Based Cancer Treatment

Immunotherapy treatment for cancer has become a companion for traditional treatments, utilizing medication to stimulate the patient’s own immune system to fight cancer cells. Many of these new treatments have been approved by the FDA, but they are just starting to become commonplace.

一种新的治疗技术，目前正在临床前试验中, pairs these immunotherapy treatments with ultrasound technology. Early findings suggest ultrasound treatment helps improve a patient’s immune response, helping their body’s immune system fight cancer more effectively. The treatment is noninvasive and unlike radiation therapy, it doesn’t have any negative side effects. It also doesn’t negatively affect the immune system.

3. Bone Healing and Joint Therapy

Broken bones, traditionally, take anywhere from 3 to 10 weeks to heal, depending on the age and health of the patient and the severity of the break.

通过利用低强度脉冲超声（Lipus），研究表明，任何地方的愈合率都提高from 24 percent to 42 percent当应用于新鲜裂缝时。虽然治愈率确实下降了较老的骨折，但总体成功率很高。一些成功率高达80％。

The exact reason ultrasounds help bones knit is unknown, but it has seen a unique application in the form of a 3-D printed cast that aids healing with the use of ultrasound waves. While it’s only a prototype, it could easily become the next advancement in bone repair.

Ultrasound technology could potentially change the way noninvasive surgery and treatments are done. These advances can save lives, decrease healing time and do a whole lot more than just look inside the body.