ABSTRACT
At the time of writing this chapter we are excited by a recent approval of a noninvasive method of treatment for uterine leiomyomata, by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States of America. The method is high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy of the tumor using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. The HIFU therapy delivers focused acoustic energy to the tumor to cause coagulative necro sis after 10 seconds of treatment, with lesions that have the size and shape of a grain of rice. The lesions are laid down next to each other, in a three-dimensional matrix, to cover a certain prescribed volume of the tumor. MRI is per formed concomitantly with HIFU not only to guide the treatment but also for measurement of temperature rises produced by HIFU, as a safe guard to prevent damage of healthy tissues adja cent to the targeted tissue.
