MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound Effective for Fibroid Tumors

A magnetic resonance (MR) guided, focused ultrasound device for treating uterine fibroid tumors preserves the uterus and cervix, providing considerable improvement in quality of life for patients, while decreasing menstrual bleeding and urinary dysfunction.

Uterine fibroids (non-cancerous tumors of the uterus) frequently present with symptoms such as frequent urination, cramping, painful periods, and heavy bleeding. Fibroids may affect as many as 40% of women over the age of 35. Conventional treatment options include expensive hormonal treatments or invasive surgical procedures such as hysterectomies and myomectomies.

The procedure is currently being performed at the MRI & Imaging of Georgia (USA) with the ExAblate 2000 device, the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration- (FDA)-approved magnetic resonance- (MR)-guided focused ultrasound device for treating uterine fibroid tumors. The device was developed by InSightec (Tirat Carmel, Israel). MRI & Imaging of Georgia has more than 20 facilities throughout the state of Georgia that provide a variety of imaging services.

"This is exciting new technology because it offers women who suffer from fibroids an alternative to surgery and doesn't require anesthesia,” said Henry J. Krebs III, M.D., vascular and interventional radiology from MRI & Imaging of Georgia. "In addition, the ExAblate system may have future applications for treating breast cancer, brain tumors, and prostate cancer.”

The new technology uses highly focused ultrasound to ablate, or break down, fibroid tumors. The device works with an MR scanner to enable a clinician to determine the level of heating and to monitor the progress of treatment during and after the procedure. It allows the physician to identify the three-dimensional images of the fibroid and surrounding organs with pinpoint precision and clearly distinguishes between treated and untreated tissue.

During the outpatient procedure, the patient lies inside the MR scanner, which provides precise guidance of the ultrasound waves to the target tissue. The heat of intense ultrasound waves ablates the affected tissue and the process is repeated as many times as necessary until the tumor is fully broken down. The patient's body then naturally disposes of the affected tissue. Depending on initial symptoms, most patients find relief from their fibroid-related symptoms within three months, according to a clinical study conducted by InSightec.

The ExAblate system was the 2004 Grand Prize Winner of the European Union's Information Society Technology (IST) award for innovation and potential to benefit mankind, and was recognized by The Wall Street Journal's 2004 Technology Innovation awards.


Related Links:
InSightec
MRI & Imaging of Georgia