Over the past two decades, vast improvements in focused ultrasound (FUS) technology have made the therapy an exciting addition to the neurosurgical armamentarium. In this time period, FUS has gained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of two neurological disorders, and ongoing efforts seek to expand the lesion profile that is amenable to ultrasonic intervention. In the following review, we highlight future applications for FUS therapy and compare its potential role against established technologies, including deep brain stimulation and stereotactic radiosurgery. Particular attention is paid to tissue ablation, blood–brain-barrier opening, and gene therapy. We also address technical and infrastructural challenges involved with FUS use and summarize the hurdles that must be overcome before FUS becomes widely accepted in the neurosurgical community.

在过去的二十年里，聚焦超声 (FUS) 技术的巨大进步使该疗法成为神经外科医疗设备中令人兴奋的补充。在此期间，FUS 已获得美国食品和药物管理局 (FDA) 批准用于治疗两种神经系统疾病，并且正在努力寻求扩大适用于超声干预的病变范围。在下面的评论中，我们重点介绍了 FUS 疗法的未来应用，并将其潜在作用与现有技术（包括深部脑刺激和立体定向放射外科）进行比较。特别关注组织消融、血脑屏障开放和基因治疗。