Eligibility and accessibility of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) for the treatment of uterine leiomyomas

The objective of this article is to evaluate eligibility and accessibility of MRgFUS for women who suffer from uterine fibroids who are seeking conservative treatment.
169 premenopausal women with symptomatic uterine leiomyomas have participated in this study.  The clinical eligibility for MRgFUS was determined by the FDA - based treatment guidelines.  All candidates underwent pretreatment MRI screening to determine candidacy for this treatment.

80 patients were determined clinically eligible for this treatment.  Of these, 27 patients were found to be eligible for MRgFUS based on imaging results.

Overall, the main reasons for ineligibility were very large fibroids, cost of treatment, and desired fertility.

The article concludes that currently many women who suffer from uterine fibroids are unable to obtain the MRgFUS treatment beacuse of multiple reasons, including uterine size, desire for fertility and most commonly financial constraints.  However, with the increase of clinical experience, further research and wider insurance coverage, it would be possible to increase accessibility and expand eligibility for this treatment.