Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will soon offer advanced MR-guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) to treat neurological conditions such as essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy.

The non-invasive procedure, which uses sound waves guided by MRI to precisely target affected brain areas, will be available within six months at a nominal cost, AIIMS officials said.

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The Vattikuti Foundation, a non-profit advancing medical technology, on Wednesday has donated the MR-guided HIFU system along with five years of service support to the hospital.

The HIFU system can be used to conduct MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS), which is a non-invasive procedure that uses sound waves to treat a variety of conditions such as essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and neuropathic pain.

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Unlike in traditional surgeries, in this technology, ultrasound waves are guided by MRI to target and treat precise areas of the brain, the doctors said.

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The technology, already FDA-approved for essential tremors and Parkinsonian tremors, has potential applications in treating movement disorders, substance abuse, OCD, and enhancing drug delivery by disrupting the blood-brain barrier.

Dr Manjari Tripathi, head of neurology, AIIMS, said, “A training will be done under the leadership of Dr Sarat Chandra for a team of neurologists at AIIMS for the next six months, following which we will start to give the treatment to the patient at a very nominal price.”

On Wednesday, AIIMS director, M Srinivas along with the foundation and Insightec, a medical device company, had talks over MR-guided HIFU being used at AIIMS.

Mahendra Bhandari, CEO, Vattikuti Foundation, said, “We are at the forefront of a medical revolution with focused ultrasound technology, currently FDA-approved for essential tremors and Parkinsonian tremors, but with immense potential beyond. This technology precisely locates and targets affected areas. The treatment from this equipment in private sector typically costs around ₹20 lakh per patient, making accessibility a challenge. Our foundation aims to subsidise treatments, reducing patient costs to ₹5 lakhs at AIIMS. We are also trying to secure funding from other institutes to advance research and expand non-invasive treatment options.”

Dr Tripathi emphasised the broader implications of the technology, calling it a “game changer” beyond Parkinson’s and essential tremor. “The future lies in treating epilepsy, psychiatric disorders like OCD, and more. The ability to non-invasively, modify brain networks using ultrasonic energy is just the beginning. We are only at the tip of the iceberg, ready to unlock immense benefits for patients,” she said.

The foundation also hosted a symposium in Delhi titled “Transforming Neuroscience: MR-Guided HIFU – A Game Changer,” bringing together top neurologists, neurosurgeons, and researchers from India and the US to explore the technology’s potential.