August 1, 2025 – Focus Feature: 2025 State of the Field Report

This year marks a new chapter for the Foundation’s State of the Field Report. From modest beginnings to a must-have resource, the report has evolved into an essential guide for understanding the progress and promise of focused ultrasound. More than just charts and stats, it’s a compelling narrative of where the field stands—and where it’s headed.

A new interactive platform features in-depth data on the field of focused ultrasound that will be updated regularly throughout the year. This platform enables a richer, more flexible experience where users can drill down into the data online and explore by interest, including indications, sites, approvals, coverage, manufacturers, and more.

A PDF version is also available that captures a point-in-time snapshot of the field, providing historical context and long-term trend analysis.

We encourage you to read on for key highlights from the report, which documents the extraordinary progress in the field of focused ultrasound over the past year (2024).

The Foundation’s Data Strategy Director, Michael Broad, PhD, shares how to navigate the interactive pages to access data that is most important to you. Watch Now.

In 2024, there were more than 150,000 new patient treatments, marking the most treatments in a single year and a 6% increase over 2023. There were 39 new regulatory authorizations for a total of 446 worldwide. There were also 71 new focused ultrasound–related patents filed, bringing the global total to 1,020. In the industry, both companies and investments saw significant growth.

In 2024, the field of focused ultrasound reached a landmark achievement: more than one million patients have been treated worldwide with focused ultrasound. The leading indications for both cumulative treatments and those that took place last year are uterine fibroids and adenomyosis as well as tumors of the liver, prostate, and pancreas. Learn more.

Nine first-in-human clinical studies began exploring nonthermal mechanisms of action for treating various diseases. Before October 2023, thermal ablation was the only mechanism of action with regulatory authorization anywhere in the world. That landscape is now rapidly shifting. In 2024, the majority of new studies for novel indications used neuromodulation. Notably, five separate trials investigating neuromodulation for chronic pain were launched in 2024—an exciting and significant step forward in the evolution of focused ultrasound therapy. Learn more.

In 2024, the field experienced substantial growth with 125 new commercial treatment sites added worldwide. With the largest growth in sites treating neurological, urological, and women’s health disorders, 55 different indications are now being treated at commercial facilities globally. Learn more.

Four focused ultrasound companies achieved first regulatory authorizations, joining 18 other commercial-stage manufacturers contributing to the global market. In all, there are now 119 focused ultrasound companies, and the total number of employees grew by 25% to 4,530. This year’s median company size is 21 employees, up from 16 in 2023. Learn more.

Compared with 2023, focused ultrasound companies experienced a significant, three-fold increase in overall funding, with $419M reported in 2024. Four companies received half of the money raised in 2024, while 15 other companies shared the remainder. Learn more.