OxCIN Global Scholars + Methods

Multimodal MRI Characterization of Circuit-Level Changes Following MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound of the STN and GPi in Parkinson’s Disease

Presented by Pamela Gonzalez

Abstract: MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a minimally invasive neurosurgical technique that uses converging ultrasound beams under real-time MRI guidance to induce precise thermal ablation of deep brain targets. This study investigates Parkinson’s disease patients undergoing MRgFUS targeting the subthalamic nucleus (STN) and globus pallidus internus (GPi), examining whether potential longitudinal changes in motor and associative basal ganglia–cortical circuits can be characterised using multimodal MRI. A pilot study includes treated and control groups assessed at baseline and six-month follow-up, with multimodal MRI used to characterise potential brain changes over time.