Insightec Launches Next-Generation MR-Focused Ultrasound System

Insightec announced its launch of Exablate Prime, a significant enhancement to the Exablate Neuro platform. Based on customer input and feedback, Exablate Prime is the culmination of over 10 years of research and development designed to increase precision, efficiency, and experience of the surgeon – and the patient.

Like its predecessor, Exablate Prime enables incisionless neurosurgery as an outpatient procedure to provide relief to people living with movement disorders, such as essential tremor. New improvements include an enriched user interface and enhancements to optimize productivity. Specific improvements include:

• Intuitive user interface: designed with guided workflows, automated steps, and a streamlined UI
• Automated calculations: Intelligent algorithms for one-click skull-density-ratio (SDR) calculations, automatic fusion and AC/PC identification, and efficient no-pass region detection
• Intuitive and informative therapy delivery: temperature-driven control enabled by an accurate temperature prediction algorithm
• Increased specificity and control: Precise targeting and lesion shaping with sub-millimetric targeting control and advanced shaping masks
• Real-time monitoring: Plane thermal spot visualization, cumulative thermal dose overlays
• Enhanced planning & support: improved cyber security, PACS connectivity, remote planning, and troubleshooting
• Improved visualization and image management: automatic MR scan acquisition, intelligent targeting tools, and larger MR data sets in one planning session

The system also boasts an optional, upgraded 3T head coil for improved imaging.

"Our unwavering commitment to enhancing patient care through innovative technology led us to develop Exablate Prime," said Maurice R. Ferre, MD, CEO and chairman of the board of Insightec. "Although Exablate Neuro has revolutionized the field of neurosurgery, Exablate Prime takes it to entirely new levels, pushing the boundaries of what is possible. We couldn't be more proud of the end result – Exablate Prime is the future of incisionless neurosurgery."

To ensure Exablate Prime met the needs of working neurosurgeons, it was tested first in Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Israel where suggestions for improvement were implemented. It then was first tested in the US by Oregon Health and Science University.

"We were proud to lead the validation pilot study for Prime and be a design partner with Insightec," says Dr Lior Lev Tov, senior neurosurgeon at Rambam Hospital. We truly appreciate the great improvements it brings to the treatment."

"We pride ourselves as trailblazers in healthcare innovation, so we were well prepared to be among the first to test drive Exablate Prime," says Dr Ahmed Raslan, MD, FAANS, and Director of Functional Neurosurgery at Oregon Health and Sciences University. "We were pleased with the new interface and efficiency of the system and believe it will significantly and positively impact our neuroscience program – and the lives of those patients we treat - for years to come."

Exablate Prime is available for sale in the US as of January 2024.