Therapeutic ultrasound is now rapidly rising, phoenix-like, from the ashes, or rather from a long period of lack of interest. The timing of this is not altogether clear, but most probably it is due to the rapid growth in interest and sophistication of imaging and molecular biology techniques. It is not widely recognised that the application of ultrasound energy to the human body was initially with therapeutic intent. Szent-Gyorgi, publishing in Nature in 1933 [1], reported that ultrasound had no effect on Ehrlich's carcinoma, but the first publication on the successful application of therapy ultrasound in human tumours was from Horvath (1944) who reported the treatment of skin metastases [2]. It was not until 1950 that John Wild [3] first reported the use of sonar pulses to look at structures within the body, thus opening up the field of medical diagnostic ultrasound, with Howry and Donaldson publishing their pioneering work later that decade [4-7].
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