Focused ultrasound effective against fibroids

For women with fibroids, treatment with focused ultrasound guided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), seems to provide effective relief from symptoms. The following is the first large study using MR-guided focused ultrasound therapy for uterine fibroids and demonstrates successful symptom reduction at 6 and 12 months with a low rate of adverse events. Researchers from the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, studied 109 women with symptomatic fibroids who underwent a single treatment session. The procedure involved imaging the uterus using MRI, followed by focusing high-energy ultrasound on the fibroids. This heats up the fibroid tissue and kills it. After six months, 71 percent of the women achieved a 10-point reduction in the Uterine Fibroid Quality-of-Life scale, which measured 61.1 on average at the start of the study. Moreover, there was a much greater-than-expected average decrease of 23.8 in the score. After a year, in the 82 women evaluated, 51 percent met the goal of a 10-point improvement. The average score was 38.8, still significantly below that seen at the start of the study. The researchers emphasise the need to continue follow up of these women for at least three years and hope to demonstrate sustained efficacy with this treatment.