Targeted Vessel Ablation of Type 3 Uterine Fibroids With Magnetic Resonance Guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound

So-called type 1 and 2 uterine fibroids are well treatable with Magnetic Resonance guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (MR-HIFU). The other type, type 3 fibroids, however, are known for their high perfusion and poor treatment outcome after MR-HIFU. This study proposes a new strategy to treat type 3 fibroids with MR-HIFU. Very precise, small, high-power sonications (heating points) will be used to occlude (part of) the feeding vessels of the fibroid. This deminishes the negative effect of the high perfusion and is hypothesized to transform a type 3 fibroid into a type 2 or possibly even a type 1 fibroid. Consequently, the bulk volume of the fibroid can be treated using the standard approach.