Shearwave elastographic evaluation of uterine leiomyomas after uterine artery embolization: preliminary results

Abstract

Background/aim: We aimed to investigate the role of Shearwave Elastography SWE in the evaluation of response to uterine artery embolization UAE in patients with uterine leiomyomas. Materials and methods: SWE images of the dominant uterin leiomyomas were obtained before and 1.5 months after performing UAE in 33 women suffering from symptoms due to leiomyomas menometrorrhagia, bulk related symptoms, pelvic pain . Leiomyomas were also evaluated by 2 observers for location and longest diameter in axial plane. Interobserver agreement in the quantitative SWE analysis was calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients. Results: Thirty-three women mean age, 39.7 years; range, 31-48 years were examined with SWE 1.5 months after UAE. After treatment, 3 patients 9.1% had fever, 1 patient had nausea and 29 patients 87.9% had no complications. The post UAE stiffness measurements of leiomyomas mean SWE ± SD = 13.34 ± 3.9kPa were significantly lower than the pre UAE measurements mean SWE ± SD = 17.16 ± 4.8kPa P