MR-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound treatment of uterine fibroids

Abstract

Uterine fibroids are benign, encapsulated uterine tumors, representing the most common reason for hysterectomy in premenopausal women. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU; also known as focused ultrasound surgery) is a noninvasive technique leading to tissue heating in a centered focus, inducing a thermal tissue necrosis. Magnetic resonance-guided HIFU (MR-HIFU; also know as MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery) allows to allocate the uterine fibroids as well as to evaluate whether these are accessible for HIFU treatment. Further advantages are MR-based real-time temperature mapping and immediate evaluation of postprocedure therapeutic success by MR imaging. These advantages minimize the patient risk and make the treatment more effective. MR-HIFU is a uterus conserving, low pain-to-painless, and noninvasive treatment option. Here, we review its medical and economic advance to surgical procedures due to the low complication rates combined with proven symptom relief and the enhancement of the quality of life.