Are there other HIFU devices?

There are other devices for different indications, which offer promising avenues of research. EDAP produces Ablatherm, the device most frequently used for the HIFU treatment of prostate cancer throughout the world, and is exploring new applications of HIFU for treating other types of cancers.
There is also another device for treating prostate cancer, called Sonablate. This tool is used much less widely than Ablatherm, which was rapidly recognised as a device that perfectly complied with the expectations of urologists. Today, the great majority of urologists throughout the world who have decided to adopt the HIFU technique have basically chosen Ablatherm for the following reasons:
* Ablatherm is a device with an integrated imaging system that uses very high definition (more than twice the definition of Sonablate), giving the urologist an extremely precise view of the area to be treated. So it is much more accurate in targeting the areas to treat and in preserving areas that must not be touched by the ultrasound.
* Ablatherm is a device with a high degree of automation, giving the surgeon unequalled ease of treatment. For example, it is the only device that automatically adjusts the position of the probe in relation to its surrounding environment.
* Ablatherm is the device that has been the subject of 90% of publications, clinical studies and scientific results presented at the major world conferences by prestigious international teams with regard to the HIFU treatment of localised prostate cancer.
* Ablatherm is the only device to have been certified for use in salvage therapy for patients experiencing recurrence and failure of a prior radiotherapy treatment. It has specific settings for this situation.
* Ablatherm is the only device that can treat the entire depth of an average sized prostate gland in a single pass. The surgeon does not have to pass over the same spot repeatedly, thus improving safety and reducing treatment time.
* Ablatherm enables the surgeon to adjust the size of the lesions by the ultrasound beam according to the thickness of the prostate. This contrasts with Sonablate, which produces much smaller fixed lesions and obliges the surgeon to programme two or even three passes over the same spot to treat the prostate to its full depth, thereby noticeably increasing the risk of side effects, and reducing the effectiveness of the treatment within the tissue (published series comparatively show better clinical results with Ablatherm than with Sonablate).
* Ablatherm features a unique combination of safety systems that reduce the inherent risks of HIFU treatment.
* More than 200 urologists throughout the world have now obtained their proficiency certificate in the use of Ablatherm. This high number is an essential factor of motivation, which means that most urologists wanting to learn this technique prefer to use the reference tool.