AuntMinnie.com Women's Imaging Radiology Insider

Dear Women's Imaging Insider,

In this issue of the Insider, we turn our attention to uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), an increasingly popular way to treat this common condition. As of 2004, more than 13,000 procedures have been performed annually, according to the Society of Interventional Radiology.

Ob/gyn specialists from Philadelphia have found a reason that justifies UFE's popularity -- lower costs. They compared the expenses and reimbursements for UFE, hysterectomy, and myomectomy. Needless to say, UFE came out the winner, but by how much? Click here for the details.

Also in UFE's favor is a report by British researchers that the operation does not lead to complications should a woman become pregnant postprocedure. Currently, UFE is not recommended for women who are planning to bear children. But the removal of fibroids may actually improve fertility procedure outcomes, according to another study.

As with most things in life, UFE is not perfect. In the Women's Imaging Digital Community, you'll also find a summary of two case reports on post-UFE complications. In a separate study, French interventionalists determined that nearly 20% of women who undergo the procedure will experience fibroid recurrence a little after two years. Fibroid size and number were the key predictors of relapse, the researchers said.