Monitoring therapy with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog: utility of MR imaging.
The utility of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in assessing response to therapy with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analog was assessed in 19 women with uterine leiomyomas and 19 women with endometriosis. There was a significant reduction in individual fibroid volumes at 3 months (P less than .05) and at 6 months (P less than .005) in the drug group, whereas there was no significant change in the placebo group. Vessel conspicuity significantly decreased at 3 months (P less than .02) and at 6 months (P less than .01) in the drug group but not in the placebo group. In the patients with endometriosis, there was a significant decrease (P less than .0006) in the number of endometriomas visualized. Significant changes were also noted in the pelvis in women who were receiving the GnRH analog. After 6 months of therapy, the identifiability of the ovaries was significantly poorer (P less than .05). The authors conclude that the utility of conservative therapy with a GnRH analog can be quantitatively assessed with MR imaging.
Zawin
M
M
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510.
McCarthy
S
S
Scoutt
L
L
Lange
R
R
Lavy
G
G
Vulte
J
J
Comite
F
F
D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016729:Leuprolide; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D016729:Leuprolide