Effectiveness of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for symptomatic uterine fibroids: a multicentre study in China

Figures & data

Figure 1. Examinations of a patient with fibroids before and after ablation. (A) MRI (T2WI) before ablation showed the fibroid. (B) Before ablation, the contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) image showed non-homogeneous enhancement within the fibroid. (C) During ablation, tissue effects of ablation. (D) After ablation, no contrast enhancement was observed in the ablation area. (E) Contrast-enhanced MRI 3 days after ablation showed the ablation zone.

Table 1. Fibroid volumes, haemoglobin levels and uterine fibroid symptom and health-related quality of life questionnaire (UFS-QOL) scores before and after ablation.

	Time
Parameter	Pre-ablation	3 months	6 months	12 months
V (cm^3)	95.01 ± 70.29	36.85 ± 31.21*	26.12 ± 23.50*	17.30 ± 16.98*
Hb (g/L)	88.84 ± 9.31	107.14 ± 13.32*	116.05 ± 7.66*	117.79 ± 6.51*
SSS	49.22 ± 14.35	20.96 ± 9.95*	16.70 ± 8.51*	13.14 ± 6.10*
HRQL	58.37 ± 14.56	78.66 ± 13.16*	84.62 ± 8.71*	87. 71 ± 7.00*

* p < .001 (compared with the pre-ablation value).

V: tumour volume; Hb: haemoglobin level; SSS: symptom severity score; HRQL: health-related quality of life score.