title: Clinical 24 month experience of the first MRgFUS unit for treatment of uterine fibroids in Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe and evaluate treatment of uterine fibroids using Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) during its first 24 months of use at The Royal Women's Hospital Melbourne.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred Victorian women were treated with MRgFUS using the ExAblate 2000 system. Treatment outcomes based on fibroid volume shrinkage measured at 4 and 12 months post-treatment and symptom severity score assessment (Symptom Severity Score Quality of Life - SSS-QOL) pre- and post- (4-6 weeks, 4, 6 and 12 months) treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean non-perfused volume of the treated fibroids were 67% ± 25% (n = 100) immediately post-treatment. At 4 months post-treatment, the treated fibroids demonstrated an average volume reduction of 29% ± 32% (n = 74) and at 12 months 38% ± 45% (n = 32). Mean symptom severity scores (SSS-QOL) improved by 51% from 59 ± 21 (n = 97) at baseline to 29 ± 17 (n = 36) by 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From our experience, we believe there is a role for MRgFUS in the treatment of uterine fibroids in selected women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dobrotwir
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D057086:High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D053783:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Interventional / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*