Essential Tremor, Focused Ultrasound
Jordan has essential tremor. Essential tremor (ET), is an involuntary movement of the upper extremities usually causing extreme tremors in your hands. ET is the most common type of tremor and movement disorder. Individuals with ET may experience significant tremor of the hands, which can impair a person's ability to perform daily tasks, such as writing, drinking coffee, and eating.
Physicians at the Movement Disorders Center recommended Jordan for MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS). MRgFUS is a medical imaging treatment for patients who suffer from essential tremor.
MRgFUS is performed while the patient is awake. It is a non-invasive, non-surgical procedure that involves radiofrequency — focused beams of acoustic energy — to heat and destroy a small, targeted area of tissue in the brain without harming adjacent tissues. To ensure patient safety, focused ultrasound uses an MRI thermal imaging system that measures temperature changes in the skull.
This procedure allows the physician to perform a safe and effective non-invasive therapy with little to no harm to the surrounding tissue and with minimal side effects. Today Jordan is able to drink, eat, and write tremor free after his treatment!