Therapeutic ultrasound (None)

Therapeutic ultrasound is a medical treatment modality that utilizes high-frequency sound waves (>20,000 Hz) delivered via a transducer probe to interact with body tissues[1][5][9]. The ultrasound energy can induce both thermal and mechanical biological effects, including deep tissue heating, cavitation, and increased cell membrane permeability[4][5]. These effects can promote tissue healing, pain relief, tissue realignment, and facilitate targeted drug delivery[1][3][9]. In advanced applications such as focused ultrasound or high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), energy convergence can ablate tissue (e.g., for cancer therapy) or open the blood-brain barrier for drug access[2][3][9]. Therapeutic ultrasound is widely used in physical therapy for musculoskeletal injuries and in clinical research for cancer, vascular, and drug delivery innovations[1][2][9]. The modality is generally considered safe when administered properly, but risk of tissue damage exists at excessive intensities or with improper use[1][4][9].

Other names

Ultrasound therapyultrasonotherapyfocused ultrasoundlow-intensity pulsed ultrasoundhigh-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)

Thermal effects (deep tissue heating via absorption of ultrasound energy), Mechanical effects (micro-vibrations and cavitation induce biological changes), Sonophoresis/phoresis (enhanced transdermal drug delivery), Blood-brain barrier opening (for drug access to central nervous system), Tissue ablation (HIFU focuses ultrasound energy to destroy or necrose tissue), Clot disruption (cavitation and mechanical pressure fragment thrombi).