High intensity focused ultrasound treatment of adenomyosis: a comparative study

OBJECTIVE: To compare the treatment efficacy and safety of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) on its own, HIFU combined with levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) and HIFU combined with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa). METHOD: Seventy-eight patients with adenomyosis who underwent HIFU treatment were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 45 patients were treated only with HIFU, 15 patients were treated with HIFU combined with LNG-IUS and 18 patients were treated with HIFU combined with GnRHa. Dysmenorrhea scores, menstrual blood volumes, uterine volumes and adenomyotic lesion volumes were evaluated 1, 6 and 12 months after HIFU. RESULT: After treatment, dysmenorrhea score, menstrual blood volume, uterine volume and adenomyotic lesion volume significantly decreased in all three groups (p < 0.05). No significant difference was observed among the HIFU group, HIFU with LNG-IUS group and HIFU with GnRHa group 1 month after HIFU. However, 6 and 12 months after HIFU, dysmenorrhea score, menstrual blood volume, uterine volume and adenomyotic lesion volume decreased significantly more in the HIFU with LNG-IUS group and HIFU with GnRH-a group than in the group treated with HIFU on its own (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: HIFU can be effectively used in the management of adenomyosis. Based on the results of this study with a limited number of patients, our study suggested that combining HIFU with LNG-IUS or GnRHa may provide a superior clinical effect compared to HIFU treatment on its own.