New Ultrasound 'Drill' Targets Deep Vein Blood Clots, North Carolina State University Study

Researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a new surgical tool that uses low-frequency intravascular ultrasound to break down blood clots that cause deep vein thrombosis. The tool is the first ultrasound "drill" that can be aimed straight ahead, allowing doctors to better target clots—which holds promise for significantly reducing treatment time. To date, the technology has been tested only in synthetic blood vessels.