Hologic has acquired Acessa Health, a developer of a minimally invasive ultrasound-guided treatment for fibroids. Hologic paid $80 million for the company.
Acessa has developed Acessa ProVu, a laparoscopic-based system that combines radiofrequency (RF) ablation with ultrasound visualization and guidance mapping. Acessa ProVu enables physicians to treat women with symptomatic benign uterine fibroids as an alternative to open surgery.
Hologic notes that uterine fibroids affect between 50% and 60% of women, a percentage that increases to about 70% by age 50. The condition can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, pain, frequent urination, and other symptoms.
Acessa ProVu is designed to detect more fibroids as compared with the use of current imaging modalities, according to Hologic. RF fibroid ablation is supported by clinical data that demonstrates that the treatment results in less blood loss and faster recovery times compared with conventional more invasive treatments.
Hologic believes that Acessa Health will produce about $13 million of revenue in fiscal 2021. The company will be integrated into Hologic's GYN Surgical business.
![Examples of ultrasound findings and techniques. (A) Images in a 39-year-old male patient with a mass in the left thigh. The mass is heterogeneous on the B-mode US image (compared with the patient in D) and showed increased microvascularity (superb microvascular imaging [SMI]) and shear-wave elastography (SWE) values. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy (with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma in surgical specimen). (B) Images in an 18-year-old male patient with a mass in the left leg. The mass is hypoechoic on the B-mode image, with no other findings suggestive of malignancy. The lesion is in contact with the cortex of the tibia, which is slightly irregular. CT revealed a doubtful anteromedial tibial erosion. The microvascular study demonstrated high vascularization, suggestive of malignancy. Periosteal Ewing sarcoma was diagnosed with both histologic and immunohistochemical confirmation. (C) Images in a 69-year-old female patient with a lump growing on the outside of the left leg. Multiple SWE examinations were performed (please note the high values obtained in the measurements, whereas the color map highlights the stiffness relative to adjacent tissues). SMI showed areas of increased vascularization to target for sampling. Undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with residual leiomyosarcoma in the surgical specimen after neoadjuvant therapy. (D) Images in a 56-year-old female patient with a mass in the right thigh. The mass is heterogeneous at both B-mode ultrasound (similar to patient A) and MRI (coronal T2-weighted spectral attenuated inversion recovery [SPAIR]; T1-weighted pre-contrast and postcontrast imaging), which even shows uptake after the administration of paramagnetic contrast material, which is traditionally suggestive of malignancy. Low values at SMI and elastography are suggestive of benignity. Spindle cell lipoma was diagnosed at biopsy, with atypical spindle cell lipomatous tumor in the surgical specimen.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/08/images-radiol250278fig2.APCFLSvX6p.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)