Histotripsy

Our approach to histotripsy treatment

If traditional liver cancer treatments aren’t a match for your condition, you may be a candidate for histotripsy. 

Histotripsy is a new type of cancer treatment that uses focused ultrasound waves to destroy tumor tissue without incisions.

Instead of heat or radiation, histotripsy creates microscopic bubbles that break apart tumor cells while helping preserve surrounding healthy tissue.

A non-invasive treatment option

Because histotripsy does not require incisions or needles, it may reduce the risk of infection and allow for faster recovery.

Your care team will carefully review your imaging studies and medical history to determine whether histotripsy may be right for you.

Care coordinated with cancer specialists

We understand that getting a cancer diagnosis can be life changing.

Our interventional radiologists perform histotripsy treatment in close collaboration with specialists at the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

Your care team evaluates your tumor and determines how histotripsy may fit into your overall treatment plan.

What to expect

If you've been diagnosed with liver cancer, your oncologist may refer you to the UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

Here, you’ll meet with one of our expert interventional radiologists.

Your physician will review your medical history and perform tests to determine if you qualify for histotripsy.  

What is histotripsy and how does it work?

Histotripsy destroys inoperable liver tumors using high-intensity ultrasound instead of incisions or needles.  

The ultrasound waves produce microbubbles. This bubble action dissolves tumors mechanically and without the extreme heat or cold of other tumor-destroying techniques. Microbubbles help preserve your nearby tissues or arteries. 

In the weeks after the procedure, the tumor will liquify naturally, passing out of your body with the help of your lymphatic system.  

Most histotripsy patients go home the same day.

Is histotripsy only for liver cancer? 

Histotripsy has been FDA-approved to treat liver cancer. However, researchers are actively studying its use to treat inoperable kidney, pancreas and breast cancers, bone cancer, uterine fibroids and other conditions.

They also research whether histotripsy can be used as an alternative to surgery by dissolving tumors that are surgically accessible.  

What is the success rate of histotripsy? 

Studies show a 95% success rate in destroying tumors within days of the procedure.

Is the histotripsy procedure safe?

Yes, histotripsy is considered a safe, non-invasive treatment. It has received FDA clearance for liver tumor applications and continues to be studied in clinical trials for other uses. Unlike traditional ablation techniques, histotripsy works through a process called cavitation: the formation and collapse of microscopic bubbles that liquefy targeted cells while leaving surrounding healthy structures largely intact.

Can I have another type of procedure in the future after histotripsy?

Yes. Histotripsy has been used before, after or in combination with other procedures. Your clinician will work with you to incorporate histotripsy into your overall treatment plan.

What are the benefits of histotripsy?

A non-invasive treatment option 

We don’t use incisions or needles; it may reduce the risk of infection and allow for faster recovery.

Targeted and safe 

Histotripsy targets and destroys unwanted tissue while minimizing damage to surrounding tissue. 

Single treatment 

We can effectively destroy most tumors less than 3 cm in one treatment session. Multiple treatment sessions may be necessary depending on your condition and treatment plan. 

Why choose UCI Health for histotripsy?

Leading the way in cancer treatment 

The UCI Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center was the first National Cancer Center Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center in California to offer histotripsy.  

Less down time and relatively minimal discomfort 

With minimally invasive techniques, you’ll experience less down time and relatively minor discomfort compared to open surgery.  

For you, less time in the hospital and no incisions means a less risk of infection, scarring or complications. 

A leader in research and clinical trials 

UCI Health offers one of the largest clinical trial programs in the region as the only NCI-designated cancer center in Orange County.  

These trials may give you access to treatments and techniques not yet widely available.

What to expect

After consulting with your doctor, they may ask you to follow certain dietary restrictions before the procedure.

On the day of the procedure, we’ll take some preparatory images and give you general anesthesia. This is to help keep your body still for this precise treatment. 

Because ultrasound is also an imaging technology, we monitor your treatment in real time. 

The session will typically take one to three hours. You may experience pain afterward, but usually, there is a relatively quick recovery when you wake up.  

What happens after my histotripsy treatment?

After your histotripsy treatment, your clinicians will take some final images. For your safety, please arrange for someone to drive you home.

Follow-up care

One month after treatment, we will administer a contrast enhanced CT or MRI scan to evaluate the treated tumor(s). We will also use the images we took to help us ensure the tumor tissue dissolved and was replaced with healthy tissue.

Your doctor will help schedule any other follow-up appointments.