Magnetic resonanace-guided focused ultrasound surgery of uterine leiomyomas

Uterine leiomyomas are the most common female pelvic tumor, are associated with menorrhagia or pressure-related issues such as fullness and urinary frequency, and are rarely a cause of infertility. Present-day treatment options include hysterectomy, myomectomy, uterine artery embolization, and hormonal therapy. Non-invasive magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRg FUS) has the potential to become a non-invasive choice for selected patients. This technique utilizes an effective combination of MR image guidance and energy delivery, thereby proposing an attractive method of non-invasive thermal ablation. Ultrasound waves are focused through intact skin of the anterior abdominal wall resulting in localized thermal tissue ablation, and focal areas of the leiomyoma undergo protein denaturation and coagulative necrosis.