Category: Tremor
Objective: Assessing the medium-term results following unilateral focused ultrasound ablation of the ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus in essential tremor.
Background: Essential Tremor (ET) is the most common hyperkinetic movement disorder. Over the recent years, MRI guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) has been introduced as an established specialized therapy in cases of tremor pharmacological management has been insufficient and other specialized treatments are deemed inappropriate. Having introduced MRgFUS for ET as the first center in Scandinavia, we present the follow-up results after one year in a sizable cohort of Danish patients.
Method: All patients received unilateral ablation using MRgFUS targeting the ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus to the contralateral side of the dominant tremor. Treated patients have been prospectively enrolled in a treatment quality assurance database. Pre- treatment and at twelve months, patients have been assessed according to validated clinical scales, such as the Fahn-Marin-Tolosa (FMT) scale and patient-rated using the Quality of Life in Essential Tremor (QUEST). Patient Global Assessment of Change (PGIC), scales aimed at assessing general health and well-being as well as use of medication have also been collected. Additional measures regarding socioeconomic factors, other health-related behaviors as well as participation in the workforce/volunteering was also collected.
Results: The one-year cohort consisted of 111 patients. Patients showed clear improvements improvements following treatment, sustained at one year follow-up. Clinician-rated, according to the FMT, there was a mean improvement of 62.4 % (95 % CI: 56.4 % ; 68.5 %, p<0.0001). Restricted to lateralized symptoms on the treated side, the reduction was 85.2 % (± 24.2 %, 95 % CI: 80.70 % ; 89.78 %). In terms of patient self-assessment, according to the QUEST, a relative improvement was seen compared to pre-treatment of 54 % (95 % CI: 33.2 % ; 75.5 %).
Conclusion: In our cohort, patients showed sustained improvements both in symptom burden and in overall health-related quality of life after one year.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
V. Hvingelby, P. Kjeldsen, B. Bergholt, G. Schechtmann, E. Danielsen, M. Møller, S. Mardosiene, T. Lund, D. Grauballe, M. Geneser, L. Bak, P. Wied, H. Zaer, K. Meier, B. Jespersen, C. Eriksen, C. Bræmer-Madsen, N. Pavese, JC. Sørensen, A. Glud. Focused Ultrasound for Essential Tremor: Results After One Year [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2026; 41 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/focused-ultrasound-for-essential-tremor-results-after-one-year/. Accessed October 1, 2026.« Back to 2026 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/focused-ultrasound-for-essential-tremor-results-after-one-year/