title: Feasibility of ultrasound-guided high intensity focused ultrasound ablating uterine fibroids with hyperintense on T2-weighted MR imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To retrospectively investigate whether uterine fibroids with hyperintense on pretreatment T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could be treated with ultrasound-guided high intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU).
  
  
  METHODS
  282 patients with 282 symptomatic uterine fibroids who underwent USgHIFU treatment were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the signal intensity of T2-weighted MRI, uterine fibroids were classified as hypointense, isointense and hyperintense. Hyperintense fibroids were subjectively further subdivided into heterogeneous hyperintense, slightly homogeneous hyperintense and markedly homogeneous hyperintense based on the signal intensity of fibroid relative to myometrium and endometrium on T2-weighted MRI. Enhanced MRI was performed within one month after HIFU treatment. Non-perfused volume (NPV, indicative of successful ablation) ratio, treatment time, treatment efficiency, energy effect ratio and adverse events were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median volume of uterine fibroids was 70.3 cm(3) (interquartile range, 41.1-132.5 cm(3)). The average NPV ratio, defined as non-perfused volume divided by the fibroid volume after HIFU treatment, was 76.8 ± 19.0% (range, 0-100%) in the 282 patients. It was 86.3 ± 11.9% (range, 40.9-100.0%) in the group with hypointense fibroids, 77.1 ± 16.5% (range, 32.2-100.0%) in isointense fibroids, and 67.6 ± 23.9% (range, 0-100.0%) in hyperintense fibroids. The lowest NPV ratio, lowest treatment efficiency, more treatment time, more sonication energy and pain scores were observed in the slightly homogeneous hyperintense fibroids, and the NPV ratio was 55.8 ± 26.7% (range, 0-83.9%) in this subgroup.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our results, the heterogeneous and markedly homogeneous hyperintense fibroids were suitable for USgHIFU, and only the slightly homogeneous hyperintense fibroids should be excluded.
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, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China. zwp215@163.com
authors.forename: Wen-Peng
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jin-Yun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Ke-Quan
authors.initials: KQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-Biao
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wen-Zhi
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D057086:High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult