MadSci Network: Medicine |
I have never come across any work of this particular nature. Sure, lithotripsy uses high intensity inaudible sounds to rupture renal stones- but the concept has never so far as I know been applied to cancer cells. A few problems present themselves 1/ Unlike radiation I doubt that ultrasonics contain enough energy per wave to be directed lethally at cancer cells deep within the body 2/ Focussing ultrasonic waves deep into the body at cancers would present considerable problems- 3/Stones, being solid, can be vibrated to resonance and hence distegration. I doubt the same principle would obtain with jelly like protoplasm of cells whether malignant or not.
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