Features influencing patient selection for fibroid treatment with magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound

Of 333 women inquiring about minimally invasive image-guided treatments for fibroids, 209 (63%) were clinically eligible for magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) according to criteria specified by the Food and Drug Administration and our institution's institutional review board. One hundred three clinically eligible patients had pelvic MR imaging, and 26 (25%) were anatomically eligible for MRgFUS. A substantial proportion were anatomically ineligible for more than one reason, including too much fibroid volume (19%), presence of bowel in the ultrasound beam path (13%), and significant adenomyosis (12%). Overall, 14% of women inquiring about minimally invasive image-guided treatments for fibroids were eligible for MRgFUS, a percentage that increased when additional institutional review board restrictions were lifted.