What’s a HIFU?
Welcome back!
Today was the first time I’ve ever heard (seen, actually) the word HIFU. I thought it was a typo of HI-FI, but then it dawned on me: how long since you’ve actually heard anyone use the term HI-FI? I’m guessing around 30 or 35 years in my case.
As it turns out, HIFU stands for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound. It sounds likesome impressive new space-age weapon, but it’s actually a form of prostate cancer treatment.
What this procedure does is focus sound waves in a tiny area where cancer cells are. The highly focused sound waves cause the target area to vibrate so quickly that the heat generated by the friction actually destroys the cancerous cells.
There are at least a couple of different types of HUFU proceedures. Ablatherm HIFU and a proceedure that uses the Sonablate 500.
Having read a comparison of the two, on the remote chance that I am ever in the position to need such a proceedure, I wish to state here, for the record, that my preferemce leans toward the one which uses the Sonablate 500. That device just seems to me like it is more precise, less invasive, and safer.
You would be surprised at how much information is available just at the links I’ve included here. Go look. Now. 
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