ABSTRACT
Objective To discuss the safety and short-term efficacy of MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) for pain palliation of bone metastases patients.Methods Fourteen patients with painful bone metastases were recruited in this prospective study.The treating efficacy was characterized by numerical rating scale (NRS),the brief pain inventory quality of life (BPI-QOL) survey,and Karnosky performance status scale (KPS).Adverse events occurred pre-and post-treatment were analyzed.Normal distributed statistics was analyzed by using paired-samples t test or Wilcoxon rank sum test.Results Fourteen patients were treated with MRgFUS,2 patients dropped out of the study.The NRS ratings are 6.50(4.00),5.00 (5.25),2.50(5.00),2.50(4.75),2.00 (6.00) for pre-treatment,one week,one month,two months,and three months,respectively.Such variances of NRS ratings were statistically significant (Z=-2.773,-2.740,-2.769,-2.675;P＜0.05).The BPI-QOL ratings were (42.42± 8.27),(30.67 ± 12.29),(29.17±15.38),(29.92± 17.67) and (35.67± 19.28),respectively.The BPI-QOL ratings decreased in the first two months after the treatment which is statistically significant (t=3.231,2.820 and 2.453;P＜0.05);whereas for the third month,the BPI-QOL rating was statistically insignificant compared with the one before the treatment (P＞0.05).The KPS ratings were 80(28),80(20),65(45) for pre-treatment,one week and three months after treatment,respectively.Three months after the treatment,the KPS ratings decreased which was statistically significant compared with the one before the treatment (Z=-2.204,P＜0.05).After the treatment,one patient developed deep venous thrombosis,three patients reported lower extremities numbness,two patients had soft tissue edema around the lesions.Conclusions MRgFUS is effective for short-term pain palliation of bone metastases.Such noninvasive technique is safe and can improve patients' living condition.