FDA-approved technology expands treatment options for patients with movement disorders without the need for traditional brain surgery
(CAMDEN, NJ) – Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience is now offering incisionless focused ultrasound using the Insightec Exablate Neuro® platform. This outpatient procedure is performed at Cooper University Hospital, where the FDA-approved technology uses high-intensity focused ultrasound guided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to precisely target areas of the brain responsible for tremor—without incisions, implanted hardware or radiation.
“At Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience, our goal is to provide every patient with the most advanced treatment options available, tailored to their individual needs,” said Islam Fayed, MD, MS, director of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience. “Adding MR-guided focused ultrasound expands our comprehensive movement disorders program and offers new hope for patients whose tremors continue to interfere with everyday activities despite medication. This technology reflects our commitment to bringing advanced neurological care closer to home for patients throughout South Jersey.”
Essential tremor is the most common movement disorder, affecting an estimated 10 million Americans, while nearly one million people in the United States are living with Parkinson’s disease. For many patients, medications can effectively manage symptoms for years. However, as these conditions progress, some individuals continue to experience debilitating tremors and motor complications despite medical therapy.
MR-guided focused ultrasound expands the range of advanced treatment options available through Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience’s comprehensive Movement Disorders Program. While deep brain stimulation (DBS) remains an effective surgical treatment for many patients, MR-guided focused ultrasound offers an incisionless alternative for carefully selected individuals who may not be candidates for surgery or who prefer an incisionless approach.
“For patients living with essential tremor or Parkinson’s disease, symptoms can affect independence, daily activities, and quality of life even when medications are part of the care plan,” said Ian Walker, MD, a neurologist at Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience. “Focused ultrasound gives appropriate patients another treatment option that does not require an incision or implanted device, and it underscores the value of a coordinated movement disorders team.”
Performed during a single outpatient procedure, the Insightec Exablate Neuro® platform uses more than 1,000 precisely focused ultrasound beams to target a small area deep within the brain while the patient remains awake inside an MRI scanner. Real-time MRI guidance enables physicians to visualize the treatment area, monitor temperature changes, and confirm treatment accuracy throughout the procedure. Many patients experience immediate improvement in tremor with minimal recovery time, allowing them to return home the same day.
MR-guided focused ultrasound is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat medication-refractory essential tremor and certain symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease. In 2022, the FDA expanded the indication for essential tremor to allow treatment on both sides of the body, with eligible patients able to receive treatment on the second side at least nine months after their initial procedure. In 2025, the indication for Parkinson’s disease was added. This is a staged bilateral treatment that can be done six months apart to treat motor complications associated with Parkinson’s disease.
The addition of MR-guided focused ultrasound further strengthens Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience’s nationally recognized movement disorders program, which offers comprehensive evaluation and individualized treatment for patients with Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor and other neurological conditions. Depending on a patient’s needs, treatment options may include medications, physical, occupational and speech therapy, deep brain stimulation, MR-guided focused ultrasound and ongoing support from a multidisciplinary team of neurologists, neurosurgeons, rehabilitation specialists and advanced practice providers.
About Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience
Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for a full spectrum of neurological conditions, bringing together nationally recognized specialists in neurology, neurosurgery, neurocritical care, neuro-oncology, neuroradiology and rehabilitation. Through a multidisciplinary approach and access to the latest medical and surgical innovations, the program delivers advanced, patient-centered care close to home for residents throughout South Jersey. For more information visit https://neuroscience.cooperandinspira.org/.
