HIFU
Minimally invasive, outpatient, focal prostate cancer treatment. Proven effective over decades.
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive, targeted treatment for localized prostate cancer that preserves quality of life while effectively destroying cancerous tissue – with no hospital stay.
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is an internationally proven, minimally invasive, outpatient treatment for localized prostate cancer.
Using precisely delivered ultrasound energy, it destroys cancerous tissue without the need for surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
This one-time procedure offers a faster recovery while preserving sexual function and continence for most men, making it a preferred choice for the eligible patients seeking a safe and effective alternative to surgery or radiation.
Prostate Cancer & Treatment Options
A prostate cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, and many men believe that surgery or radiation are their only choices. While effective, these conventional treatments come with significant risks and challenges, including erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, long recovery times, and multiple hospital visits.
HIFU is a one-time, minimally invasive alternative that selectively destroys the targeted cancerous tissue (with a margin of safety), while leaving the majority of normal prostate tissue intact. Using focused ultrasound energy, HIFU eliminates tumors without surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, reducing the risk of long-term side effects.
Backed by years of global clinical success, HIFU is a proven, effective option for men with localized prostate cancer seeking a less invasive alternative to surgery or radiation.
The UIC Difference
Urology Innovations Canada is North America’s most experienced clinic in outpatient prostate cancer focal therapy. In March 2006, we were the first clinic in North America to perform HIFU for focal prostate cancer treatment, leading the way in providing men with a highly effective, minimally invasive alternative to surgery or radiation. With nearly two decades of experience and thousands of successfully treated patients, we continue to set the standard for precision and post-treatment patient care.
What Sets Us Apart
- Unmatched Experience: Our team has the longest experience performing HIFU procedures than any other clinic in North America.
- Expertise: Led by highly skilled surgeons specializing in focal therapy.
- Technology: We use the most advanced HIFU equipment with real-time imaging for unparalleled precision.
- Personalized Treatment: Every plan is tailored to your unique diagnosis, medical history, diagnostic information, and laboratory review and discussion. We ensure that you understand all available alternatives so you can make the best informed decision for your treatment.
- Comprehensive Care: Ongoing follow-ups to monitor your response to treatment and optimize the long-term outcomes.
The Process
1. Consultation & Diagnosis
Our specialists review your medical history, imaging, biopsy, and laboratory results to determine if HIFU is an appropriate treatment for you. We discuss our findings in detail, present all available options, and only proceed with your informed consent. We support the involvement of your close family in the consultation and decision making process.
2. Pre-Procedure Preparation
Minimal preparation is required. You may need to temporarily stop taking certain medications, such as blood thinners, before the procedure. Additional lab work and possibly electrocardiogram will be performed within 30 days of the planned procedure. Our Patient Coordinator will provide you complete and detailed pre-op instructions.
3. The Procedure
HIFU is performed under spinal or general anesthesia. High-frequency ultrasound waves precisely target and destroy cancerous tissue with millimeter precision.
4. Recovery & Follow-Up
All patients go home the same day. A temporary catheter is typically required for several days while the prostate recovers from treatment and reactive swelling subsides. Regular follow-ups will be scheduled to monitor your recovery and the response to treatment to ensure optimal outcomes.
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive prostate cancer treatment that uses focused ultrasound waves to heat and destroy cancerous prostate tissue while preserving normal tissue. Unlike surgery or radiation, HIFU does not require incisions, hospital stays, or long recovery periods.
HIFU is ideal for men with localized low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer who want a focal therapy option that preserves sexual function and continence. It is also a good alternative for eligible patients looking to avoid surgery or radiation or for those seeking a second-line treatment after radiation failure.
HIFU is an outpatient procedure performed under spinal or general anesthesia. The treatment typically takes two to three hours, and patients are discharged from the clinic the same day.
A small ultrasound probe is inserted into the rectum, delivering focused sound waves to precisely heat and destroy the targeted cancerous tissue.
Spinal anesthesia is typically used, but for patients with very low platelet counts or other contraindications, we opt for general anesthesia.
Most patients require only one HIFU session. In the case of treatment failure or a new cancer in a previously untreated area, additional treatment may be indicated. Unlike radiation, HIFU can be repeated safely if necessary.
HIFU is a focal therapy, meaning it targets only cancerous areas, preserving the surrounding normal prostate tissue. 98% of men retain full bladder control after the procedure.
Most men return to normal activities within a few days. After catheter removal, any mild discomfort and temporary urinary symptoms should resolve over the following weeks.
Yes, a catheter is typically placed for several days post-treatment to assist with urination while the prostate tissue heals.
HIFU is a privately paid treatment and is not covered by OHIP or any other provincial insurance health plans.
You may experience some temporary side effects after the treatment, including:
- Temporary urinary symptoms (mild burning, urgency, frequency, urinary leakage, urinary retention)
- Blood and small clots in urine
- Tissue fragments passing in urine
PSA tests are used to track treatment success. We recommend:
- PSA testing at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment
- Testing every 6 months during the second year
- Once stable, your doctor will determine the appropriate long-term follow-up schedule
Not every man diagnosed with prostate cancer is a candidate for HIFU. At Urology Innovations Canada, we conduct a comprehensive evaluation to determine eligibility, based on:
- PSA levels and other laboratory testing
- Biopsy results
- Imaging scans
- Medical and family history
If you have your biopsy results and/or ultrasound report, we encourage you to send us a message for a personalized assessment.
If you have not yet undergone testing, we offer comprehensive diagnostic services, including:
- MRI Fusion Prostate Biopsy – A highly precise, targeted transperineal biopsy method using real-time MRI and ultrasound guidance
- TRUS Guided Prostate Biopsy – A transperineal, ultrasound-guided approach to prostate cancer diagnosis, performed without MRI
Contact us today to schedule your diagnostic consultation or to find out if HIFU is the appropriate treatment for you.