High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) in Uterine Fibroid Treatment: Review Study.
BACKGROUND
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a highly precise medical procedure used locally to heat and destroy diseased tissue through ablation. This study intended to review HIFU in uterine fibroid therapy, to evaluate the role of HIFU in the therapy of leiomyomas as well as to review the actual clinical activities in this field including efficacy and safety measures beside the published clinical literature.


METHODS
An inclusive literature review was carried out in order to review the scientific foundation, and how it resulted in the development of extracorporeal distinct devices. Studies addressing HIFU in leiomyomas were identified from a search of the Internet scientific databases. The analysis of literature was limited to journal articles written in English and published between 2000 and 2013.


RESULTS
In current gynecologic oncology, HIFU is used clinically in the treatment of leiomyomas. Clinical research on HIFU therapy for leiomyomas began in the 1990s, and the majority of patients with leiomyomas were treated predominantly with HIFUNIT 9000 and prototype single focus ultrasound devices. HIFU is a non-invasive and highly effective standard treatment with a large indication range for all sizes of leiomyomas, associated with high efficacy, low operative morbidity and no systemic side effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Uterine fibroid treatment using HIFU was effective and safe in treating symptomatic uterine fibroids. Few studies are available in the literature regarding uterine artery embolization (UAE). HIFU provides an excellent option to treat uterine fibroids.
Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Salman bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia ; Department of Basic Sciences, College of Medical Radiological Sciences, Sudan University of Science and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan.
Mustafa Z
MZ
Mahmoud
Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed
M
Alkhorayef
Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Khalid S
KS
Alzimami
Department of Radiological Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Manal Saud
MS
Aljuhani
Department of Radiology and Medical Imaging, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Salman bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
Abdelmoneim
A
Sulieman
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation; Leiomyoma; Uterine Artery Embolization