Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement and can dramatically impact quality of life. While medication remains the first-line therapy for most patients, many people eventually experience symptoms that are no longer well controlled with medication, such as tremor, rigidity, slowness of movement, and medication-related dyskinesia.
Focused ultrasound as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease recently received new attention when Rebecca King-Crews, wife of actor Terry Crews, detailed her focused ultrasound treatment for Parkinson’s-related tremor on TODAY, People.com, and other outlets, helping raise awareness of this emerging option.
Background
In the U.S., focused ultrasound has been helping to address a critical treatment need for years. This therapy was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for tremor-dominant PD in 2018. Three years later, the FDA expanded its 2018 approval to include the treatment of mobility, rigidity, and dyskinesia symptoms.
New Advances: Bilateral Treatment and New Target
In 2025, patients with PD benefitted from another significant step forward when the FDA approved bilateral focused ultrasound treatment. This approval meant that patients with certain expressions of PD now had the option to receive treatment on both sides of their brain in two sessions at least six months apart. This staged approach is designed to improve symptom control on both sides of the body while maintaining patient safety. The expansion is important because PD commonly affects both sides of the body, particularly as symptoms progress.
The latest approval is also different in that it specifically applies to targeting the brain’s pallidothalamic tract (PTT). Treating this target allows physicians to address a broader range of advanced motor symptoms, including rigidity and dyskinesia, in addition to tremor. This represents an important evolution in focused ultrasound therapy, expanding its potential benefit for patients with more complex or progressed Parkinson’s disease.
Additional Information for Patients
It is important to note that these current approved uses of focused ultrasound only address the symptoms of PD; they are not a cure for the primary disease. But for certain patients who need to address difficult symptoms, focused ultrasound offers a noninvasive alternative to surgery with a lower risk of complications and lower cost.
Patients who are interested in focused ultrasound for PD should talk to their neurologist about whether they may be a candidate for focused ultrasound. As of April 2026, staged bilateral treatment targeting the PTT is not covered by Medicare, although various parties are working toward reimbursement.
Treatment primarily targeting the ventral intermediate nucleus for Parkinsonian tremor is currently covered by Medicare in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming.
Treatment targeting the globus pallidus for Parkinsonian dyskinesia is covered by Medicare in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
Patients with medication-resistant movement disorders can take a short quiz on the Insightec website to see if they may be candidates. They can also speak with a program engagement team member at Insightec to learn more by calling 1-800-704-6797.
Tim Meakam, MD, is Co-Director of the Research and Education Team at the Focused Ultrasound Foundation.