title: Clinical utility of a microbubble-enhancing contrast ("SonoVue") in treatment of uterine fibroids with high intensity focused ultrasound: a retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical value of the contrast agent SonoVue in the treatment of uterine fibroids with ultrasound-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapeutic ablation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 291 patients with solitary uterine fibroid from three centers were treated with ultrasound-guided HIFU. Among them, 129 patients from Suining Central Hospital of Sichuan were treated without using SonoVue. 162 patients from the First Hospital of Chongqing Medical University and Chongqing Haifu Hospital were treated with using SonoVue before, during and after HIFU procedure to assess the extent of HIFU.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The non-perfused volume (indicative of successful ablation) was observed in all treated uterine fibroids immediately after HIFU ablation; median fractional ablation, defined as non-perfused volume divided by the fibroid volume immediately after HIFU treatment, was 86.0% (range, 28.8-100.0%) in the group with using SonoVue, and 83.0% (8.7-100.0%) without SonoVue. The rate of massive gray scale changes was higher with SonoVue than without the agent. The sonication time to achieve massive gray scale changes was shorter with SonoVue than without. The sonication time for ablating 1cm(3) of fibroid volume was significantly shorter with using SonoVue than without. No major complications were observed in any patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our results, SonoVue may enhance the outcome of HIFU ablation and can be used to assess the extent of treatment.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound Engineering in Medicine Co-founded by Chongqing and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Kequan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yongbin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Wenzhi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhibiao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D057086:High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*; D045423:Microbubbles; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride