GW Hospital Announces Latest Technology Integration to its iMRI for Neurosurgical Procedures

Consistent with its aspiration to bring the most advanced care to the Metro D.C./Northern Virginia community, The George Washington University Hospital (GW Hospital) announced the recent addition of MRI-guided focused ultrasound to its Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (iMRI) System. Installed in 2022, the iMRI System from IMRIS has enabled intraoperative visualization. Now, GW Hospital is positioned to offer further clinical capabilities with the integration of the Insightec Exablate Neuro MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound.

The iMRI is specifically designed to enable magnetic resonance imaging during neurosurgical procedures for brain tumors, epilepsy and other neurological conditions. The iMRI uses a magnetic field to create highly detailed images, enabling doctors to see how the brain is responding and refine the treatment in real-time. Not only is this technology designed to enable greater precision, but also reduces the need for many post-procedure MRIs and no longer requires patients to be moved for imaging during procedures.

In addition to the iMRI, the MRI-guided focused ultrasound further expands much needed treatment options in the region. While ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of the body, high-intensity focused ultrasound is a treatment used to ablate or burn targeted tissue. The MRI-guided focused ultrasound uses magnetic resonance images to locate a precise area of tissue and concentrate focused ultrasound energy on the targeted area of the brain, without damaging the surrounding area. This incision-less technique also provides tissue temperature monitoring and real-time patient feedback during treatment.

"We are pleased to continue to invest in medical innovations - in this case, to support advanced neurosurgical procedures," said Kimberly Russo, MBA, MS, Chief Executive Officer of The George Washington University Hospital and Group Vice President of the Washington, D.C., Region. "GW Hospital has achieved many first-in-market innovations over the past several decades. MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound has been recently added, making GW Hospital currently the only adult-care hospital in the Metro D.C./Northern Virginia region to have an iMRI with focused ultrasound."

"Precision and accuracy are two essential components of effectively removing tumors of the brain and spinal cord," said Michael Rosner, MD, Chair of The Department of Neurological Surgery. "GW Hospital's addition of iMRI with focused ultrasound creates a new standard of neurosurgical care in the DMV region. The intraoperative MRI offers the ability to advance neurosurgical research by expanding minimally invasive procedures for improved recovery and outcomes, and by enabling real-time functional mapping and the study of brain connectivity to gain a better understanding of brain plasticity. In addition, it allows for the safer and immediate validation of new intraoperative techniques as well as new therapies with alterations in the blood-brain barrier permeability. For example, our neurosurgeon-scientists and research faculty are continuing their pursuit of effective immunotherapy options for brain tumor patients, which have resulted in NIH awards for 2024."

Zachary T. Levine, MD, FAANS, Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at The George Washington University Hospital, notes, "The addition of focused ultrasound to the iMRI makes this a unique environment aimed to improve patient outcomes and offer the most advanced and least invasive way to treat Parkinson's disease and tremor. This is truly a patient-centered approach to neurosurgery."