title: Uterine Fibroids: Correlation of T2 Signal Intensity with Semiquantitative Perfusion MR Parameters in Patients Screened for MR-guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationships between T2 signal intensity and semiquantitative perfusion magnetic resonance (MR) parameters of uterine fibroids in patients who were screened for MR-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Institutional review board approval was granted, and informed consents were waived. One hundred seventy most symptom-relevant, nondegenerated uterine fibroids (mean diameter, 7.3 cm; range, 3.0-17.2 cm) in 170 women (mean age, 43.5 years; range, 24-56 years) undergoing screening MR examinations for MR-guided HIFU ablation from October 2009 to April 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Fibroid signal intensity was assessed as the ratio of the fibroid T2 signal intensity to that of skeletal muscle. Parameters of semiquantitative perfusion MR imaging obtained during screening MR examination (peak enhancement, percentage of relative peak enhancement, time to peak [in seconds], wash-in rate [per seconds], and washout rate [per seconds]) were investigated to assess their relationships with T2 signal ratio by using multiple linear regression analysis. Correlations between T2 signal intensity and independently significant perfusion parameters were then evaluated according to fibroid type by using Spearman correlation test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that relative peak enhancement showed an independently significant correlation with T2 signal ratio (Β = 0.004, P < .001). Submucosal intracavitary (n = 20, ρ = 0.275, P = .240) and type III (n = 18, ρ = 0.082, P = .748) fibroids failed to show significant correlations between perfusion and T2 signal intensity, while significant correlations were found for all other fibroid types (ρ = 0.411-0.629, P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In possible candidates for MR-guided HIFU ablation, the T2 signal intensity of nondegenerated uterine fibroids showed an independently significant positive correlation with relative peak enhancement in most cases, except those of submucosal intracavitary or type III fibroids.
authors: From the Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science (Y.S.K., H.R., H.K.L.) and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.W.L., C.H.C., B.G.K., D.S.B.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea; and Department of Health Science and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (H.K.L.).
authors: Young-Sun
authors: YS
authors: Kim
authors: From the Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science (Y.S.K., H.R., H.K.L.) and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.W.L., C.H.C., B.G.K., D.S.B.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea; and Department of Health Science and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (H.K.L.).
authors: Jeong-Won
authors: JW
authors: Lee
authors: From the Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science (Y.S.K., H.R., H.K.L.) and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.W.L., C.H.C., B.G.K., D.S.B.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea; and Department of Health Science and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (H.K.L.).
authors: Chel Hun
authors: CH
authors: Choi
authors: From the Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science (Y.S.K., H.R., H.K.L.) and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.W.L., C.H.C., B.G.K., D.S.B.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea; and Department of Health Science and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (H.K.L.).
authors: Byoung-Gie
authors: BG
authors: Kim
authors: From the Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science (Y.S.K., H.R., H.K.L.) and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.W.L., C.H.C., B.G.K., D.S.B.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea; and Department of Health Science and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (H.K.L.).
authors: Duk-Soo
authors: DS
authors: Bae
authors: From the Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science (Y.S.K., H.R., H.K.L.) and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.W.L., C.H.C., B.G.K., D.S.B.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea; and Department of Health Science and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (H.K.L.).
authors: Hyunchul
authors: H
authors: Rhim
authors: From the Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science (Y.S.K., H.R., H.K.L.) and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (J.W.L., C.H.C., B.G.K., D.S.B.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-710, Korea; and Department of Health Science and Technology, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (H.K.L.).
authors: Hyo Keun
authors: HK
authors: Lim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D057086:High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D053783:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Interventional; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies