Known as "histotripsy," the method and machinery have already been tested successfully in animals and humans, and has just been approved for use by the FDA.

HistoSonics is a company founded in 2009 to create an ultrasound device that both screens for tumors and administers histotripsy. It was born from the efforts of scientists at the University of Michigan who co-founded the firm.

"Histotripsy is an exciting new technology that, although it is in early stages of clinical use, may provide a noninvasive treatment option for patients with liver cancer. Hopefully it can be combined with systemic therapies for a synergistic therapeutic effect," said Mishal Mendiratta-Lala, professor of radiology with Michigan Medicine.

Mendiratta-Lala was the principal investigator of an FDA human trial started in 2021 which confirmed that HistoSonic's device, called Edison, can destroy cancer tumors.