The Museu Nacional de la Ciència i la Tècnica de Catalunya (MNACTEC) opened the exhibition “Ultrasound: From Nature to Medicine” on Wednesday, 23 September. The exhibition explains what ultrasound is, how it has evolved, and its main applications in healthcare.

The opening ceremony was attended by Albert Tulleuda, Director of MNACTEC; Fran Garcia, Director of Communications, Corporate Strategy and Citizen Engagement at Vall d’Hebron; Dr Nuria Roson, Head of the Vall d’Hebron Radiology Department and researcher at the Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR); Dr Elena Elez, oncologist at Vall d’Hebron and researcher at the Vall d’Hebron Institut d’Oncologia (VHIO); and Dr Xavier Serres, interventional radiologist at Vall d’Hebron, researcher in the Molecular Imaging and Therapy Group at VHIR, and curator of the exhibition.

The exhibition aims to introduce visitors to the foundations of ultrasound and its evolution, from its earliest applications in nature observation, maritime navigation and seabed exploration to its current use in medicine. In healthcare, ultrasound has both diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Today, ultrasound is used in diagnostic procedures such as ultrasound imaging, Doppler ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography, among others. Ultrasound imaging is also a tool for guiding minimally invasive interventional procedures, such as needle punctures, drainages, biopsies and radiofrequency tumour treatments. Two of the biological effects of ultrasound are its ability to generate heat and produce cavitation phenomena. As a result, ultrasound also has therapeutic applications in areas such as physiotherapy, where it generates heat, and lithotripsy, a technique that uses shock waves to break down kidney stones.

For some time, HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) has been used to treat tumours by generating heat. Current research is developing new applications of high-intensity focused ultrasound, such as histotripsy, a technique that uses high-intensity focused ultrasound to destroy tissue or tumours without incisions, burning, radiation or toxicity. In this regard, in 2018, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital treated a liver tumour with histotripsy in humans for the first time worldwide. Thanks to the Theresa and Hope4Liver studies, Histosonics has now obtained CE marking.

An exhibition bringing Vall d’Hebron research closer to the public

“Ultrasound: From Nature to Medicine” is an exhibition produced by the Vall d’Hebron Radiology Department through FUSMED, a research line focused on the therapeutic effects of high-intensity focused ultrasound and part of the Molecular Imaging and Therapy Group at VHIR. The exhibition is travelling and has previously been displayed at CosmoCaixa Barcelona, CaixaForum Lleida, the Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers, the Barcelona College of Physicians, the Natural Sciences Museum of Banyoles and the Joan Triadú Civic Centre in Vic. It is now being hosted by the Museu Nacional de la Ciència i la Tècnica de Catalunya. One of the aims of the exhibition is also to raise funds for research, and a crowdfunding campaign is currently open.

The project was conceived by Dr Xavier Serres, interventional radiologist at Vall d’Hebron and principal investigator of the Molecular Imaging and Therapy Group at VHIR. The exhibition provides an opportunity to bring the public closer to a technology that plays an important role in both the diagnosis and treatment of different diseases.

During the opening, Dr Xavier Serres led a guided tour of the exhibition, explaining its different sections and the applications of ultrasound in medicine. The exhibition features 10 panels that provide a comprehensive overview of ultrasound from beginning to end; the Bat Cave, an immersive experience for children and adults who want to experience what it is like to be a bat, navigating without sight using an ultrasound device created specifically for the exhibition; a video that summarises the journey through ultrasound using dynamic infographics; exhibition elements featuring museum objects; and, finally, experiments that allow visitors to discover, see, feel and touch the power of ultrasound.

“Sharing knowledge with the public is also part of our professional responsibility, and this reflects the open and people-centred spirit of Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus. This is our commitment to serving society, because we want to contribute to enriching the cultural level of our country,” says Dr Xavier Serres, who, together with a team of volunteers, will lead guided tours on the first Sunday of each month for one year.

“With this exhibition, we aim to awaken everyone’s capacity for contemplation, observation, respect and appreciation of nature, as a source of inspiration for science and technology, the advancement of medicine and the sustainable development of humanity,” he adds.