The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of uterine fibroid treatment using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (US) with shot sonication for accurate ablation. Forty-three patients with 51 symptomatic uterine fibroids were treated with MRI-guided high-intensity focused US with shot sonication, which was a small acoustic focus of higher intensity with a shorter time (2 seconds) of US exposure and a shorter cooling time (2-3 seconds). The treatment efficacy and adverse events were analyzed, and the changes in the severity of symptoms and the reduction in fibroid volume were assessed 3 and 6 months after the procedure. All patients were successfully treated in a single session, without major complications, and the mean nonperfused volume ratio ± SD was 84.3% ± 15.7% (range, 33.8%-100%).Complete ablation was achieved in 13 T2-hypointense fibroids from 10 patients, and partial ablation was achieved in 38 fibroids from 33 patients. The overall mean treatment time was 135.0 ± 50.9 minutes (2.2 ± 0.8 hours). The transformed symptom severity scores and mean fibroid volumes decreased significantly after treatment (P < .05). In conclusion, MRI-guided high-intensity focused US with shot sonication is a feasible, safe, and effective technique for ablation of uterine fibroids and complete ablation of T2-hypointense fibroids.
Keywords: ablation; magnetic resonance imaging; magnetic resonance imaging–guided high-intensity focused ultrasound; nonperfused volume; uterine fibroid.
© 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.