For years, severe tremors prevented Bud Leavell from comfortably repairing antique radios in his Arlington, Texas, garage. Within minutes of receiving a newly approved focused ultrasound treatment at UT Southwestern Medical Center, however, the 72 year old Parkinson’s patient saw his tremor completely disappear.

Leavell, a retired salesman and Air Force veteran, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2017 immediately after surgery for thyroid cancer. He had previously experienced a slow loss of his sense of smell.

"My voice was weak and gravelly, and within a few days, a tremor set into my right hand," Leavell told Fox News Digital. The shaking made tasks requiring fine motor skills in his dominant hand frustratingly difficult, including using binoculars and clicking a computer mouse.

The tremor also interfered with Leavell’s favorite pastime of repairing radios. Following the procedure, he was once again able to hold his hand still while using tools and working on projects.

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Dr. Bhavya Shah, a neuroradiologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, introduced Leavell to focused ultrasound. The FDA approved the treatment in January 2026 for primary motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, including stiffness and slowness.

The procedure focuses ultrasound waves through the skull and onto precise targets deep in the brain. The ultrasound energy heats and removes targeted nuclei, or nerve bundles, stopping the transmission of electrical activity responsible for tremors or other symptoms, according to Shah.

Unlike deep brain stimulation, the focused ultrasound treatment does not require opening the skull. Shah said interventional options are generally discussed when Parkinson’s medications become less effective or cause side effects.

Parkinson’s disease can affect patients differently, and the optimal brain target can vary. Before tissue is permanently removed, doctors use low energy ultrasound waves to determine whether a patient’s symptoms respond to a particular target.

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UT Southwestern also uses advanced imaging to map each patient’s brain before the procedure, giving doctors a clearer view of the intended target. In Leavell’s case, his tremor responded strongly to the initial low energy ultrasound, giving the team confidence that it had located the correct area.

Although slowness and stiffness are cardinal symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, Shah said Leavell’s most troublesome symptom was his tremor. Therefore, eliminating the shaking was the primary goal, while other brain targets can be selected based on the symptoms causing the greatest difficulty.

Leavell was eager to pursue the treatment, though he had concerns about the result. "The entire team working this procedure was very professional and demonstrated considerable flexibility in making sure this was an easy process for me," he told Fox News Digital.

Immediately after receiving the ultrasound therapy on April 13, Leavell said the tremor was gone. At his latest follow up, it remained as well controlled as it had been directly after the procedure, according to Shah.

When asked about the tremor, Leavell replied, "What tremor?" He also reported being able to bring a fork or spoon to his mouth easily and return to repairing antique radios.

"I can hold my hand still with or without a tool in my hand or while working on a project," he said. "I can also get a fork or spoon with food on it into my mouth with ease. But, this may turn into another problem, as I love to eat!"

Shah noted that potential risks include numbness and tingling around the mouth and fingertips, difficulty walking, talking or swallowing, weakness in an upper or lower extremity, balance problems and struggles with episodic memory. "Side effects occur approximately 20% to 30% of the time and generally improve over time," he said.

Focused ultrasound also has a key tradeoff compared with deep brain stimulation. Deep brain stimulation can be adjusted if symptoms return or worsen, while focused ultrasound does not involve a device that can be reprogrammed, meaning another treatment could potentially be required if symptoms return.

Although focused ultrasound has shown short term effectiveness, long term data are not yet available because the technology is newer. Shah said patients considering it should thoroughly discuss the advantages and disadvantages with their movement disorder neurologist.

Leavell expressed appreciation for the procedure while emphasizing his faith. "However, anytime an opportunity comes along like this one, I will jump on it to see if I can experience an improvement in my circumstances."

He also urged potential candidates to seek an appointment with a specialist. Meanwhile, Shah expressed optimism about future Parkinson’s therapies and the potential for additional applications of focused ultrasound.