Cherry Hill residents living with essential tremor or Parkinson's disease can now access an incisionless, same-day procedure at Cooper University Hospital in Camden that uses focused ultrasound to reduce tremor without surgery, implants or radiation.
Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience announced Monday, Aug. 3, that it is now offering MR-guided focused ultrasound using the Insightec Exablate Neuro platform. The treatment is FDA-approved for medication-refractory essential tremor and certain motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
The technology works by directing more than 1,000 precisely focused ultrasound beams at a small target deep in the brain while the patient remains awake inside an MRI scanner. Real-time imaging lets physicians monitor temperature and confirm accuracy throughout. No incision is needed. Many patients experience immediate tremor improvement and go home the same day.
"Adding MR-guided focused ultrasound expands our comprehensive movement disorders program and offers new hope for patients whose tremors continue to interfere with everyday activities despite medication," Dr. Islam Fayed, director of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience, said in the announcement.
Who qualifies
The procedure is not a first-line treatment. It targets patients whose tremors continue to interfere with daily life despite medication. In 2022, the FDA expanded the essential tremor indication to allow treatment on both sides of the body, with the second side eligible at least nine months after the first. A separate Parkinson's disease indication, approved in July 2025, allows staged bilateral treatment six months apart.
Cooper and Inspira Neuroscience offers focused ultrasound alongside deep brain stimulation, which remains effective for many patients. The ultrasound option suits individuals who are not candidates for surgery or prefer an incisionless approach, according to the health system.
Neurologist Dr. Ian Walker, part of the coordinated movement disorders team, said the treatment gives appropriate patients another option that does not require an incision or implanted device.
By the numbers
Essential tremor is the most common movement disorder, affecting an estimated 10 million Americans. Nearly one million people in the U.S. live with Parkinson's disease. As of July 2025, more than 25,000 patients worldwide had been treated with Insightec's Exablate technology at 197 centers, including 84 in the United States, according to Insightec.
Cooper University Hospital, the closest major hospital to Cherry Hill, ranked No. 4 in New Jersey in the 2026–2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings released Tuesday, Aug. 4.
How to learn more
Patients and referring physicians can visit neuroscience.cooperandinspira.org for information or to seek a referral through Cooper's Movement Disorders Program.
