Focused Ultrasound for Essential Tremor

At UCI Health, we understand how tremors can make simple tasks like holding a cup, dressing, texting or writing feel out of reach.

Focused ultrasound (FUS) offers a breakthrough, incision-free treatment that quiets tremors and helps you regain comfort and control in your daily life.

If you have a confirmed diagnosis of essential tremor that has not adequately improved with medications, this treatment could be right for you.

Our approach to focused ultrasound to treat essential tremor

The UCI Health Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Program treats a wide range of conditions, including dystonia, essential tremor, Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders.

Our team works directly with you to personalize your treatment. To determine the safest and most effective treatment, your care team will include: 

• Neurologists and neurosurgeons who specialize in treating movement disorders
• Imaging specialists
• Occupational and physical therapists

Your care is coordinated and supported by a team of experts, who guide you every step of the way from evaluation to recovery.

How focused ultrasound is used

FUS, or MR-guided focused ultrasound, is an FDA-approved outpatient treatment for essential tremor. We also provide FUS for tremor-dominant Parkison's disease, and in some cases of Parkinson's disease in which standard medications are not enough. It uses acoustic energy, or sound waves, to treat the small area of brain tissue causing the tremor. 

During the procedure, you'll lie comfortably in an MRI machine. Your doctor will precisely monitor and confirm where the ultrasound energy is delivered. You will not need surgical incisions, implants or general anesthesia. 

The procedure usually takes about two hours. You may notice an immediate and significant improvement in your tremor. This improvement may make everyday activities like eating, writing and dressing easier again. 

Most people return home the same day without the need for long-term maintenance. 

Connect with our team to find out if focused ultrasound is right for you. Call 714-509-2005 or email focusedus@hs.uci.edu to request an appointment. 

What to expect of focused ultrasound treatment

Before treatment

You'll meet with our team for an evaluation. This includes a special CT scan to determine if you're a candidate and plan your treatment. Sometimes imaging will include an MRI. 

Your team will review benefits, risks and alternatives (such as deep brain stimulation). 

During treatment

The FUS treatment requires sound waves to pass through without interference. To allow this, the neurosurgeon will shave your head with a clean razor. You may shave your own head, but shaving must be done with the razor after clipping the hair. 

Your neurosurgeon will apply a local numbing agent. A head frame will keep your head still. 

The treatment takes place in an MRI suite and lasts about two to three hours. 

While you're awake, MRI images guide your doctor to the exact area to treat. Low energy is applied first to confirm the location, then gradually increased to treat the tremor. Many patients notice improvement during the procedure. 

After treatment

FUS is an outpatient procedure. You may go home the same day after your procedure. 

You can resume daily activities within a few days. Your care team will provide follow-up instructions and check your progress to help ensure the best outcome. 

Benefits of focused ultrasound treatment

• Precise targeting of the brain areas responsible for the tremor
• No incisions or implanted hardware
• Immediate improvement, sometimes during the procedure
• Quick recovery, you may return to daily activities within days
• FDA-approved treatment with a strong safety profile

Am I a candidate for focused ultrasound?

You may be a candidate for FUS. Please review the following questions:

• Have you been diagnosed with essential tremor by a physician?
• Have you tried at least two medications for your tremor without success?
• Does the tremor affect your quality of life?
• Could you lay in an MRI scanner for two to three hours to complete the procedure?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, FUS may be right for you. 

Call 714-509-2005 to learn more.

Why choose UCI Health for focused ultrasound?

Multidisciplinary team approach

You have access to a concentration of experts in one place. 

Your neurologist and neurosurgeon work closely together to tailor a treatment plan just for you. They are supported by imaging specialists, therapists and other experts in movement disorders. 

We discuss each case as a team to ensure your best possible outcome. Our neurologists are highly trained and specialized, giving you access to the most advanced expertise in a field where knowledge is expanding quickly.

World-class clinical trials at an academic medical center

As the only academic medical center in Orange County, our specialists are at the forefront of movement-disorder research. They work to achieve earlier diagnosis and develop better treatments.

If you qualify for a clinical trial, you may gain access to therapies that are not yet widely available.  

You're more than a diagnosis

You are unique and whole, and our philosophy keeps care focused on you. We recognize that our work impacts your life. We take the time to understand your experience, concerns and goals.