A study on short-term outcome of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation therapy of uterine fibroids by magnetic resonance imaging / 中华医学超声杂志（电子版）

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the short-term outcome of the uterine fibroids treated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation therapy (PMAT) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods PMAT was performed in 46 symptomatic patients with a total of 49 uterine fibroids. Pre-and post-contrast MRI was scanned at 3 days before treatment and 3 days after treatment to assess image changes of both fibroids and surrounding tissues. The fibroids were divided into group A (low signal), B (iso-signal), C (high signal) by the signal intensity on T2WI. According to the volume changes of fibroids and uterine, ablation rate and the reduction rate of the fibroids after treatment were calculated. Results There were 28, 17 and 4 fibroids in the group A, B and C respectively. Before the treatment the volume of the fibroids showed no statistical difference between the group A, B and C (P>0.05). Fibroids and uterine showed shrinkage after the treatment in the group A and B (t=5.644, 5.998, 6.725 and 4.678, all P0.05). Fibroids and uterine showed shrinkage after the treatment in the group C, but there was no obvious statistical difference. Conclusion The outcome of PAMT is good for the fibroids with different signal intensity on T2WI. But the fibroids with high signal intensity are not as sensitive as those with low or iso intensity to achieve the same ablation level.