The clinical value of ultrasound elastography in evaluating uterine leiomyomas and adenomyosis treated with percutaneous microwave ablation

Objective To study the clinical value of ultrasound elastography in evaluating the ablated zone and morphology of uterine leiomyoma and adenomyosis treated with percutaneous microwave ablation treatment(PMAT) under ultrasound guidance.Methods Eighteen patients were randomly chosen from 150 patients with symptoms uterine leiomyomas or adenomyosis who were treated with PMAT.Contrastenhanced Ultrasound(CEUS) and ultrasound elastography were performed before and immediately after PMAT.Compared with contrast enhanced MR were performed at 1 - 2 d after PMAT,the accuracy of ultrasound elastography and CEUS in evaluating the ablated range of PMA were analysed.Results Ultrasound elastography showed that the ablated zone was blue and the boundary with the surrounding tissues was clear.The ablated zone showed no enhancement with CEUS and enhanced MR.The mean diameter of the ablated zone in ultrasound elastography,CEUS,and contrast enhanced MR was (4.90 ±1.12)cm,(4.64 ± 0.93) cm,and (4.89 ± 1.02) cm,respectively.The diameter in ultrasound elastography was slightly larger than that in CEUS ( P =0.02) and had no statistical difference with that in contrast enhanced MR ( P =0.44).Conclusions Ultrasound elastography can accurately show the coagulation range immediately after PMAT and is supposed to be a method to evaluate the ablated zone noninvasively immediately after PMAT. Key words: Ultrasonography; Microbubbles; Leiomyoma; Adenomyoma; Microwave/therapeuticuse; Elastography