Feasibility of MRI-guided high intensity focused ultrasound treatment for adenomyosis

Abstract

PurposeTo test the feasibility of MRI-guided high intensity focused ultrasound ablation for adenomyosis. Materials and methodsPatients with symptomatic adenomyosis were treated with MRI-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (MRIgHIFU). Under conscious sedation, MRIgHIFU was performed by a clinical MRI-compatible focused ultrasound tumour therapeutic system (JM15100, Haifu® Technology Co. Ltd., Chongqing, China) which is combined with a 1.5T MRI system (Magnetom Symphony, Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany). MRI was used to calculate the volume of the uterus and lesion. Non-perfused volume of the targeted lesions was evaluated immediately after MRIgHIFU. Patient symptoms were assessed using symptom severity score (SSS) and uterine fibroids symptoms and quality of life questionnaire (UFS-QOL). ResultsTen patients with mean age of 40.3±4 years with an average lesion size of 56.9±12.7mm in diameter were treated. Non-perfused volume and the percentage of non-perfused volume obtained from contrast-enhanced T1 Magnetic resonance images immediately post-treatment were 66.6±49.4cm3 and 62.5±21.6%, respectively. The mean SSS and UFS-QOL showed significant improvements of 25%, 16% and 25% at 3, 6 and 12 months follow up, respectively, to pre-treatment scores. No serious complications were observed. ConclusionBased on the results from this study, MRIgHIFU treatment appears to be a safe and feasible modality to ablate adenomyosis lesion and alleviate its symptoms.