MR guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment in cancers is a technique that uses high intensity focused ultrasound under the guidance of MR images to treat malignant tumors. The focused beam from the ultrasound deposits disruptive energy and generates heat to kill malignant tissues but spare normal tissues, while MR images provide precise spatial localization and real time temperature monitoring during the procedures. The integration of these advanced techniques makes the MRgFUS one of the few techniques that can provide noninvasive cancer treatment with real time feedback. In the United States, MRgFUS has been approved by FDA in treating uterine fibroid and bone metastases clinically. The FDA clearance for other cancers are underway. Worldwide, the research of technical development and clinical trials are active in this area.

However, there are still some physical and clinical problems which are not completely understood and investigated. For example, it is not clear how the interactions becomes between tissue and ultrasound wave especially in the cavitation formation and heat generation, how to predict and monitor the microbubble in tissues, how to steer ultrasound beams to focus for the target in heterogeneous tissues, and how to measure and control temperature precisely by the MRI system. Other technical problems include lengthy treatment time, unfocused targets in heterogeneous human bodies especially with voluntary and involuntary motions, and suboptimal reliability and efficacy of the treatment system. Additionally, the policies of insurance coverage and patient reimbursement are barriers to affect the wide application of this technique. Without comprehensive research and feasible solutions for these problems and challenges, it is difficult for this technique to be accepted clinically in a wider spread fashion.

This collection aims to address and find solutions for these problems and challenges. Authors are welcome to submit review and original research articles from physics to clinics including but not limited to the following themes:

1. Investigation on the physical and biological mechanism of interactions between the ultrasound beam and biological tissues including mechanical and thermal effects.
2. Technical advances of system design, component improvement and software development in simulation, prototype and/or product.
3. Solutions on important issues such as cavitation prediction and monitoring, ultrasound beam control, phase aberration compensation, and temperature measurement and verification.
4. Evaluation of treatment safety and efficacy in animal and human study at different trial stages in different types of cancers in comparison with other treatment options.
5. Policy discussions on insurance, reimbursement and patient recruitment.

Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) will not be accepted in Frontiers in Oncology.

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