Toward global safety standards for transcranial ultrasound stimulation: new publication in Brain Stimulation

A new consensus paper co-authored by Jean-François Aubry and David Attali has been recently published in Brain Stimulation: “ITRUSST Consensus on Biophysical Safety for Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation”

Despite the rapid development of transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS), there are currently no international safety standards governing its use and the possible mechanical and thermal effects on brain tissue.

This article — the first international consensus paper on safety led by the ITRUSST consortium — brings together experts worldwide to define agreed-upon levels for non-significant risks in TUS applications. It marks a major milestone toward establishing global, evidence-based safety guidelines for ultrasound neuromodulation.

Transcranial ultrasound stimulation is an emerging, non-invasive technique for modulating brain activity, with great potential in neuroscience and psychiatry. Recent research at Physics for Medicine Paris, conducted in collaboration with clinical partners, has already demonstrated its promise for treating resistant depression using focused ultrasound stimulation of deep brain regions.

As highlighted in the article, transcranial ultrasound stimulation could be expanded to other applications in the coming years — particularly in psychiatry (addiction, anxiety), and neurology — further emphasizing the importance of shared safety standards for responsible clinical translation.

Congratulations to Jean-François Aubry and David Attali and all co-authors for this important contribution to the safe and evidence-based development of ultrasound neuromodulation.

📄Read the full paper: www.brainstimjrnl.com/article/S1935-861X(25)00353-5/fulltext

Figure: Equivalent acoustic beam aperture (𝐷𝑒𝑞) for a typical TUS configuration. In TUS applications, most transducers are not in direct contact with the skin; 𝐷𝑒𝑞 is defined as the aperture diameter of the beam on the outer surface of the skull (in cm).