Guest Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue on Recent Advances in Ultrasound Technology for Brain Imaging and Therapy

The emergence of new technologies has dramatically accelerated our understanding of the human brain function. Over the past decade, ultrasound has become a valuable tool in preclinical animal studies and clinical practice in many areas of the brain. This is because it can not only provide information about the structure and function of brain tissues but also constitute a potential treatment tool for brain disease. The recent FDA approval and success of ultrasound ablation techniques for essential tremors is an example of how ultrasound can revolutionize clinical practice. Similarly, recent brain ultrasound advances such as noninvasive blood–brain barrier (BBB) opening, ultrasound neuromodulation, and functional brain imaging have great potential to improve human patient outcomes in neurology and neurosurgery. Ultrasound is thus expected to play an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and treatment of brain disease in the upcoming years.