Dr. Matthew Whang (HIFU)
HIFU is Minimally Invasive Prostate Cancer Therapy
High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, or HIFU, is a therapy that destroys tissue with rapid heat elevation, which essentially "cooks" the tissue. Ultrasound energy, or sound waves, is focused at a specific location and at that "focal point" the temperature raises to 90 degrees Celsius (194 Degrees Fahrenheit) in a matter of seconds.Over 9,000 men, in over 100 HIFU centers worldwide, have already chosen HIFU
with the Sonablate® 500, because it is the most advanced HIFU therapy available.Explore the website to learn more about Sonablate HIFU for prostate cancer treatment and its availability outside the United States in countries where is is approved, authorized or otherwise permitted.
- HIFU has distinct therapeutic advantages over traditional prostate cancer therapies.
- Takes only one to four hours (depending on prostate size)
- Performed as an out-patient procedure under general or spinal (epidural) anesthesia. Recovery time is minimal.
- Patients are usually up and walking around within hours after the procedure and may return to a normal lifestyle within a couple of days.
- Unlike radiation, HIFU is non-ionizing so it can be repeated, if necessary, without damaging healthy tissue. This means that HIFU can also be used as a salvage technique if other prostate cancer treatments fail.
- HIFU destroys cancerous tissue. During HIFU, patient is not exposed to any radiation. No hospital stay is required.
