MRgFUS
Essential tremor
When action tremor makes daily activities difficult despite medical treatment, MRgFUS cerebellothalamic tractotomy may offer relief.
FUNCTIONAL NEUROSURGERY · NEUROLOGY
Focused ultrasound neurosurgery.
Precision with personal care.
At SIFUS in Bern-Ostermundigen, MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) offers selected patients an incisionless treatment option for essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease and therapy-resistant neuropathic pain.
No surgical incisionMR-guided precisionIndividual evaluation
Swiss Private Institute of
Focused Ultrasound Surgery
Innovative academic medicine. Highly personalised patient care.
WELCOME TO SIFUS
Expertise built on more than a decade of functional neurosurgery.
SIFUS is a specialised Swiss centre for focused ultrasound neurosurgery and neurological consultations. Our multidisciplinary team combines anatomical knowledge, MRI-based targeting and individualised clinical assessment.
In addition to MRgFUS assessment and follow-up, we provide general neurology consultations, EEG and ENMG diagnostics.
WHAT WE TREAT
Specialised care for complex neurological conditions.
The choice of treatment begins with your symptoms, medical history and a careful review of alternative options.
MRgFUS
Parkinson’s disease
Selected patients with therapy-resistant motor symptoms can be assessed for targeted MRgFUS pallidothalamic tractotomy.
MRgFUS
Neuropathic pain
In selected severe, therapy-resistant neuropathic pain, central lateral thalamotomy targets thalamic circuits involved in pain processing.
MRgFUS
The SIFUS approach
Assessment and safety
OUR TECHNOLOGY
Focused ultrasound, guided in real time by MR imaging.
MRgFUS concentrates ultrasound energy on a small brain target. MR imaging helps plan the procedure and monitor temperature during treatment, without opening the skull or implanting electrodes.
01Detailed preoperative MRI and skull CT assessment
02Precise stereotactic target planning
03Awake patient feedback and MR thermometry during treatment
04Postoperative imaging and structured follow-up
MRgFUS
An incisionless procedure.
Suitability depends on diagnosis, skull characteristics, MRI compatibility, other health conditions and personal goals. The team discusses potential benefits, alternatives and possible side effects during assessment.
PATIENT PATHWAY
From first contact to follow-up.
Every treatment decision starts with an individual clinical evaluation. Not everyone who contacts SIFUS will be a suitable candidate for focused ultrasound.
Initial consultation
Review of symptoms, previous treatment, relevant imaging and goals.
Eligibility assessment
Specialist examination, MRI and skull CT; further testing when appropriate.
MRI-guided procedure
If indicated, targeted sonications with thermometry and clinical feedback.
Aftercare
Imaging, neurological review and coordinated longer-term follow-up.
WHO WE ARE
Specialized neurosurgery shaped by anatomy, clinical experience and research.
SIFUS brings together functional neurosurgery, neurology, engineering and coordinated patient care in Bern-Ostermundigen.
Our clinical background
The current team continues a longstanding collaboration developed through the SoniModul focused ultrasound programme in Solothurn. At SIFUS, our emphasis is careful patient selection and highly individualised MRI-based treatment planning.
Our approach
For essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease and neuropathic pain, different circuits and targets are considered. Surgery is offered only after weighing expected benefits, limitations, risks and other available therapies.
Neurology services
In addition to functional neurosurgical assessment, SIFUS provides neurological consultations, postoperative follow-up and neurophysiological diagnostics such as EEG and ENMG.
OUR TEAM
A dedicated interdisciplinary team.
Clinical experience developed through the SoniModul programme and continued at SIFUS in Ostermundigen. We enjoy working together.
PD Dr. med. Marc Gallay
Functional neurosurgeon · MRgFUS
LinkedIn ↗
Dr. med. Anouk Magara
Neurologist · Psychosomatic medicine
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Franziska Rossi
CEO · Administration
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David Moser
Electrical engineer · MRgFUS
LinkedIn ↗Clinical and academic collaborations
Swiss Medical Network ↗Ärztezentrum Ostermundigen (VIVA) ↗Radiologie VIVA Ostermundigen ↗Inselspital Bern ↗HUG GenevaUniversity of Fribourg
INTERNATIONAL PATIENTS
Considering treatment in Switzerland?
We welcome initial enquiries from patients and referring clinicians outside Switzerland. An individual assessment is required before discussing whether MRgFUS is appropriate or planning travel.
Before you travel
- Contact the office to explain the purpose of your enquiry without sending sensitive health records through ordinary email.
- Arrange a specialist review and discuss the secure transfer of relevant clinical documents and imaging.
- Suitability, the required investigations, costs and possible hospital arrangements must be clarified individually.
- Plan sufficient time for postoperative observation and follow-up; an operation cannot be guaranteed in advance.
This page is information for enquiries, not a booking or treatment confirmation.
RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS
Clinical practice informed by scientific research.
A selection of publications authored by members of the SIFUS team. Bibliographic details follow the material provided by the institute.
MR-guided Focused Ultrasound Central Lateral Thalamotomy against chronic and therapy-resistant neuropathic pain
Gallay MN, Magara AE, Moser D et al. · Journal of Neurosurgery · 2023
Long-term retrospective follow-up analysis of 63 interventions.
Read article ↗Bilateral MRgFUS pallidothalamic tractotomy for Parkinson’s disease with one year follow-up
Gallay MN, Moser D, Haufler F, Jeanmonod D · Frontiers in Neurology · 2021
Read article ↗MR-guided focused ultrasound cerebellothalamic tractotomy for chronic therapy-resistant essential tremor
Gallay MN, Moser D, Jeanmonod D · Journal of Neurosurgery · 2020
Read article ↗Safety and accuracy of incisionless transcranial MR-guided focused ultrasound functional neurosurgery
Gallay MN, Moser D, Jeanmonod D · Journal of Neurosurgery · 2018 / print 2019
Read article ↗Explore additional peer-reviewed publications
Complete resolution of chronic cluster headache following central lateral thalamotomy using incisionless MR-guided focused ultrasound
Magara AE, Gallay MN, Moser D, Jeanmonod D
Read article ↗MR-guided focused ultrasound central lateral thalamotomy for trigeminal neuralgia: single center experience
Gallay MN, Moser D, Jeanmonod D
Read article ↗MRgFUS pallidothalamic tractotomy for therapy-resistant Parkinson’s disease in 51 consecutive patients
Gallay MN, Moser D, Rossi F, Magara AE et al.
Read article ↗Anatomical and technical reappraisal of the pallidothalamic tractotomy with incisionless transcranial MR-guided focused ultrasound
Gallay MN, Moser D, Federau C, Jeanmonod D
Read article ↗Radiological and thermal dose correlations in pallidothalamic tractotomy with MRgFUS
Gallay MN, Moser D, Federau C, Jeanmonod D
Read article ↗Incisionless transcranial MR-guided focused ultrasound in essential tremor: cerebellothalamic tractotomy
Gallay MN, Moser D, Rossi F et al.
Read article ↗First experience with MR-guided focused ultrasound in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease
Magara AE, Bühler R, Moser D et al.
Read article ↗MR-guided focused ultrasound technique in functional neurosurgery: targeting accuracy
Moser D, Zadicario E, Schiff G, Jeanmonod D
Read article ↗Measurement of targeting accuracy in focused ultrasound functional neurosurgery
Moser D, Zadicario E, Schiff G, Jeanmonod D
Read article ↗Human pallidothalamic and cerebellothalamic tracts: anatomical basis for functional stereotactic neurosurgery
Gallay MN, Jeanmonod D, Liu J, Morel A
Read article ↗SIFUS patient information and bibliography
Read the institute’s patient information leaflets and publication list as PDF documents. Available languages vary by topic.
CONTACT & DIRECTIONS
Let us discuss your situation.
Patients and referring physicians are welcome to contact the institute to discuss consultations or the evaluation process.
Please do not send confidential medical documents by unencrypted email. Contact us to arrange secure transmission.
Visit the institute
Swiss Private Institute of Focused Ultrasound SurgeryBernstrasse 21, 2nd floor
c/o Ärztezentrum Ostermundigen (VIVA)
3072 Ostermundigen · Switzerland
Telephone hours08:00–12:00 · 13:30–17:00
Getting hereApprox. 11 min by train from Bern · Ostermundigen Bahnhof · Parking at Bärentower
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