New ultrasound treatment for liver cancer liquefies tumors
[Allina Health Newsroom, January 22, 2026]
Allina Health Cancer Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital is the first health system in the Twin Cities to offer histotripsy, a breakthrough therapy that uses focused ultrasound to liquefy and destroy liver tumors.
“This is a transformative moment for cancer care in our region,” said Badrinath Konety, MBBS, president of Allina Health Cancer Institute. “Histotripsy is a safe, noninvasive option for patients who aren’t candidates for other liver cancer treatments.”
Interventional radiologist Thomas Gebhard, MD, performed the first histotripsy at Allina Health in late 2025 using the Edison Histotripsy System, developed by HistoSonics, a Minnesota medical technology company.
The FDA-approved technology allows doctors to precisely target liver tumors. It works by using ultrasound waves to create tiny microbubbles that break down tumor tissue at the cellular level.
“Histotripsy allows us to destroy cancerous tissue without damaging critical adjacent structures,” Dr. Gebhard said. “It will allow us to treat patients who are not candidates for surgery or other targeted liver tumor therapies.”
“This is a transformative moment for cancer care in our region,” said Badrinath Konety, MBBS, president of Allina Health Cancer Institute. “Histotripsy is a safe, noninvasive option for patients who aren’t candidates for other liver cancer treatments.”
Interventional radiologist Thomas Gebhard, MD, performed the first histotripsy at Allina Health in late 2025 using the Edison Histotripsy System, developed by HistoSonics, a Minnesota medical technology company.
The FDA-approved technology allows doctors to precisely target liver tumors. It works by using ultrasound waves to create tiny microbubbles that break down tumor tissue at the cellular level.
“Histotripsy allows us to destroy cancerous tissue without damaging critical adjacent structures,” Dr. Gebhard said. “It will allow us to treat patients who are not candidates for surgery or other targeted liver tumor therapies.”
Most treatments last 1-2 hours, depending on the tumor. Patients typically return home the same day.
“Our goal isn’t just to remove cancer; it’s to preserve quality of life while doing so,” said Ashwin Kamath, MBBS, FACS, an Allina Health hepato-pancreato-biliary surgical oncologist. “Histotripsy offers an incisionless approach that can shorten recovery time and allow patients to resume their treatment — and their lives — with minimal disruption."
Histotripsy can be used alongside chemotherapy or radiation therapy. It is currently approved for treating liver tumors and is awaiting FDA approval for kidney tumors.
Watch the video to hear Dr. Gebhard explain the histotripsy process.
Posted on January 26, 2026 in
cancer
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