AUTHOR=Rinaldo Sara , Cilia Roberto , Leta Valentina , Gammone Mariarosaria , Andreasi Nico Golfrè , Colucci Fabiana , Braccia Arianna , Telese Roberta , Poli Marco Fusar , Levi Vincenzo , Romito Luigi Michele Antonio , Ghilemetti Francesco , De Martin Elena , Fumagalli Maria Luisa , Epifani Francesca , Prioni Sara , Amami Paolo , Piacentini Sylvie , Elia Antonio Emanuele , Devigili Grazia , Nazzi Vittoria , Ciceri Elisa Francesca Maria , Stanziano Mario , Grisoli Marina , Caldiera Valentina , Catotti Marisa , DiMeco Francesco , Moreschi Giacomina Clara , Eleopra Roberto TITLE=Focused ultrasound therapy in movement disorders: management roadmap toward optimal pathway organization JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology VOLUME=15 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2024.1356310 DOI=10.3389/fneur.2024.1356310 ISSN=1664-2295 ABSTRACT=

MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) lesioning is an innovative, safe and effective treatment which provides an innovative development in the field of minimally invasive stereotactic neurosurgery. Based on the application of focused ultrasound energy under full MR planning and thermal imaging control, unilateral lesioning of the thalamus, subthalamic nucleus, and globus pallidus is indicated for the treatment of movement disorders, including essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, and dystonia. We started to apply this technique in February 2019 for the treatment of patients with movement disorders. The authors developed a diagnostic therapeutic care pathway, which is herewith proposed and applied as an explication of standard clinical practice in use. The project was the result of the application of different methods such as Health Technology Assessment (HTA), Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis (SWOT) and Demin -Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle. The aim of this project was to standardize the MRgFUS diagnostic-therapeutic pathway (DTP), describe its application and the appropriateness of different phases (patient selection, intervention phase and follow-up). Here, we described in detail our experience in the DTP application from 2019 up to now in 610 patients with movement disorders.