Magnetic Resonance Signal Intensity Ratio Measurement Before Uterine Artery Embolization: Ability to Predict Fibroid...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Interventional Radiology
• Women's Health

Background:

• Uterine fibroids are common benign tumors affecting women of reproductive age.
• Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is an effective minimally invasive treatment for symptomatic fibroids.
• Predicting treatment response is crucial for patient selection and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal intensity (SI) ratio between dominant fibroids and adjacent striated muscle can predict >50% fibroid volume reduction post-UFE.
• To evaluate the predictive value of pre-UFE SI ratios on different MRI sequences for fibroid volume changes.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 52 patients undergoing UFE from October 2013 to May 2016.
• Calculation of fibroid-to-iliac muscle SI ratio on T1-, T2-, and T1 post-contrast-weighted MRI sequences before UFE.
• Measurement of dominant fibroid volume before and after UFE (three-month follow-up).

Main Results:

• A significant correlation was found between the T2-weighted fibroid-to-muscle SI ratio and fibroid volume reduction (p < 0.002).
• The T2-weighted SI ratio showed a positive correlation (r=0.439, p < 0.003) and an AUC of 0.776.
• No significant correlation was observed for T1-weighted or T1 post-contrast SI ratios.

Conclusions:

• The pre-UFE fibroid-to-muscle SI ratio on T2-weighted MRI sequences is a significant predictor of fibroid volume reduction after UFE.
• This imaging biomarker may aid in selecting appropriate candidates for UFE, optimizing treatment outcomes.