It goes without saying that if someone has a blood clot in their brain, it should be cleared as soon as possible. An experimental new transducer could help, as it uses swirling waves of ultrasound to break up blood clots much faster than existing methods.

Developed by scientists at North Carolina State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology, the device is designed specifically for use on what is known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) clots. These form in veins that ordinarily allow blood to drain from the brain. When those veins are blocked, blood pressure in the brain increases, so potentially lethal or disabling bleeding may occur.