Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to invite you to the Focused Ultrasound Symposium and Workshop: “Reimagining Functional Neurosurgery – From Lesioning to Neuromodulation,” to be held on 14 November 2026 at PARMER, Istanbul.

Focused ultrasound is rapidly transforming the field of functional neurosurgery. Since the first clinical applications of MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) began more than a decade ago, HIFU has evolved from an innovative concept into an established and clinically proven, incisionless treatment modality for selected neurological disorders. Its role in the treatment of movement disorders, particularly essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease, continues to expand, while its applications in other neurological and psychiatric conditions are actively evolving.

The field is also expanding rapidly beyond currently established indications. More than 240 focused ultrasound clinical studies are currently ongoing worldwide, investigating new therapeutic applications, technologies, and treatment strategies across neurology, psychiatry, oncology, and other medical fields. This growing body of research reflects the accelerating momentum of focused ultrasound and its potential to reshape non-invasive treatment modalities and therapeutic strategies.

At the same time, a new frontier is emerging.

Low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) offers the possibility of reaching deep brain structures non-invasively and modulating neural circuits without creating a permanent lesion. Although LIFU remains experimental and investigational at present, its potential for targeted neuromodulation is extraordinarily exciting. Recent work combining LIFU with intracranial sensing technologies has demonstrated that focused ultrasound can reach deep brain targets and produce measurable changes in neural activity, opening new possibilities for circuit-based therapies.

This symposium will bring together leading experts in functional neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry, neuroscience, and focused ultrasound to explore this rapidly evolving field.

Our program will take us on a journey from the history and lessons of psychosurgery, through the renaissance of lesioning with MRgFUS, to the emerging era of non-invasive neuromodulation with LIFU. The meeting will combine scientific presentations with live MRgFUS treatment demonstrations, providing an opportunity to discuss both the established clinical applications of HIFU and the future possibilities of ultrasound-based neuromodulation.

We hope that you will join us in Istanbul as we explore how focused ultrasound may reshape the future of functional neurosurgery—from lesioning to neuromodulation, from targets to circuits, and ultimately from treating structures to modulating brain function.

We look forward to welcoming you.

Prof. Ali Zirh
Prof. Andres Lozano
Scientific Directors