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University of Virginia neurosurgeon W. Jeffrey Elias reported Monday on the preliminary results of a pilot study on using MRI-guided focused ultrasound to treat essential tremor, a disorder that causes uncontrollable shakes and that affects an estimated 10 million Americans.

At a meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons in Washington, Elias said the first 10 patients treated showed 78 percent improvement of hand tremors, as assessed with the Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor.

Patients’ functional activities scores improved by 92 percent, as measured by a disability subsection of the tremor rating scale.

“So far, this noninvasive treatment has been life-changing for patients,” said Elias, the study’s principal investigator and Director of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at UVA.

“All now have improved ability to use their dominant hand to perform tasks that they couldn’t do before treatment, such as writing legibly, drinking and eating without spilling, and buttoning clothes. It has been exciting to see their immediate improvements.”

Read more about the study and treatment here.

 

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