Focused ultrasound is a noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with diabetes. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasound energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the body without damaging surrounding normal tissue. There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. In type 1, the body has a reduction in the cells producing insulin, so the patient is insulin deficient. In type 2, the body either does not produce enough insulin or it has become resistant to insulin\u2019s effects, so these patients are insulin resistant. The work that has been done with focused ultrasound is aimed at treating patients with type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How it Works<\/strong> Advantages<\/strong> For certain patients, focused ultrasound could provide a noninvasive alternative to surgery with less risk of complications \u2013 such as surgical wound healing or infection \u2013 at a lower cost. Focused ultrasound can reach the desired target without damaging surrounding tissue, and it can be repeated, if necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A clinical tria<\/strong>l<\/a> delivering pulsed focused ultrasound to the portal region of the liver and to the superior mesenteric plexus is recruiting patients in Connecticut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An upcoming clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> using focused ultrasound to stimulate the vagus nerve and reduce glycemia is organizing in Arizona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A clinical trial<\/strong><\/a> is using low intensity focused ultrasound to help with painful diabetic neuropathy in China. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u202fThe Foundation updates these pages regularly, but with the increasing number of clinical trials, we want to be sure that our audience has the latest information available. Therefore, we also added the website search information for the above trials. If you click here<\/strong><\/a>, it will take you to the latest information available from https:\/\/www.clinicaltrials.gov\/<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n See a list of laboratory research sites ><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Focused ultrasound treatment for diabetes is not yet approved by regulatory bodies or covered by medical insurance companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Li X, Lin L, Zhu M, Li X, Yu J, Lu D, Li S, Shen Y, Xiong B, Zhao C, Zhou B, Yin H, Xu H, Guan X.\u00a0Low-intensity focused ultrasound-activated piezoelectric gel bandage for diabetic wound repair and neuropathic pain relief<\/strong><\/a>. Nat Commun. 2026 Mar 19.\u00a0doi: 10.1038\/s41467-026-70771-y. PMID: 41857055\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wang SY, Liu X, Li ZM, Deng CX, Chen KR, Zhuang SY, Xu B, Xu TC. Peripheral nerve-mediated glucose lowering: Mechanisms, translational strategies, and future perspectives<\/strong><\/a>. World J Diabetes. 2026 Jan 15;17(1):114535. doi: 10.4239\/wjd.v17.i1.114535. PMID: 41608107 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Rasouli R, Hartl B, Konecky SD. <\/strong>Low-intensity\u202fultrasound\u202flysis\u202fof amyloid microclots in a lab-on-chip model<\/strong><\/a>. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2025 Jun 30;13:1604447. doi: 10.3389\/fbioe.2025.1604447. eCollection 2025. PMID:\u202f40661336 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ashe J, Graf J, Madhavan R, Wallace K, Cotero V, Abate S, Pandey RK, Herzog R, Porindla SN, Shoudy D, Fan Y, Kao TJ, Puleo C. Investigation of liver-targeted peripheral focused ultrasound stimulation (pFUS) and its effect on glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a proof of concept, phase 1 trial<\/a><\/strong>. QJM. 2023 Sep 12;116(8):667-685. doi: 10.1093\/qjmed\/hcad098. PMID: 37243693<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yi X, Luo Y, Zhou Q, Wang J, Yang Z. Visually controlled pulsatile release of insulin from chitosan poly-acrylic acid nanobubbles triggered by focused ultrasound<\/strong><\/a>. Int J Pharm. 2023 Jul 22;643:123266. doi: 10.1016\/j.ijpharm.2023.123266. PMID: 37482226 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cotero V, Graf J, Miwa H, Hirschstein Z, Qanud K, Huerta TS, Tai N, Ding Y, Jimenez-Cowell K, Tomaio JN, Song W, Devarajan A, Tsaava T, Madhavan R, Wallace K, Loghin E, Morton C, Fan Y, Kao TJ, Akhtar K, Damaraju M, Barenboim L, Maietta T, Ashe J, Tracey KJ, Coleman TR, Di Carlo D, Shin D, Zanos S, Chavan SS, Herzog RI, Puleo C. Stimulation of the hepatoportal nerve plexus with focused ultrasound restores glucose homoeostasis in diabetic mice, rats and swine<\/strong><\/a>. Nat Biomed Eng. 2022 Mar 31. doi: 10.1038\/s41551-022-00870-w.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces several therapeutic effects that are being evaluated. One mechanism is the precise ablation (thermal destruction of tissue) of the omentum, which has been used in preclinical studies for better control of blood sugar. A second mechanism is the focused ultrasound-enhanced delivery of drugs. A third mechanism is the use of focused ultrasound to perform targeted neuromodulation. This last mechanism has had significant investment, and is now involved in a clinical trial. It is believed that this last mechanism is helping to \u2018reset\u2019 the target that is used neurologically so that the body\u2019s goal for glucose control is closer to the normal range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The primary options for treatment of diabetes include medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\nClinical Trials<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Notable Papers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n