FAIRFAX, Va. - Uterine fibroid embolization--a minimally invasive interventional radiology treatment for women that cuts off blood flow to painful fibroids to kill the tumors--is highlighted as an appropriate treatment for women in a Clinical Therapeutics article in the Aug. 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

"UFE (also called uterine artery embolization or UAE) is a safe, effective and minimally invasive option for women to consider. This is especially significant news for the more than 300,000 women who have hysterectomies performed annually in the United States to treat symptomatic uterine fibroids. Many of these women can confidently choose UFE, and this could significantly decrease the hysterectomy rate in the United States," said Scott C. Goodwin, M.D., FSIR, an interventional radiologist who co-authored the journal article "Uterine Fibroid Embolization."

"Publishing this information in the New England Journal of Medicine will further prompt physicians to discuss all treatment options for symptomatic uterine fibroids-including UFE-if they are not already doing so," said Goodwin. "A woman seeking treatment for her fibroids should be aware of all of her treatment options. UFE may be one of those options, and the best way to determine this is for the patient and her gynecologist or primary care provider to consult with an interventional radiologist," added Goodwin, who is professor and chair of radiological sciences at the University of California at Irvine. Interventional radiologists use magnetic resonance imaging (or MRI) to determine if fibroids can be appropriately embolized, detect possible alternate causes for the symptoms, rule out misdiagnosis, identify which treatments are best suited for each patient and avoid ineffective treatments.
"Nonsurgical uterine fibroid embolization is truly a major advance in women's health," noted Society of Interventional Radiology President Brian F. Stainken, M.D., FSIR, who represents a national organization of nearly 4,500 doctors, scientists and allied health professionals dedicated to improving health care through minimally invasive treatments. "For true informed consent before surgery, patients should be aware of all of their treatment options. Women considering surgical treatment should also get an opinion from a provider knowledgeable about UFE to determine if they are candidates for the interventional radiology treatment," said Stainken, an interventional radiologist who is also president of the Imaging Network of Rhode Island and chair of the diagnostic imaging department at Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, R.I. "UFE is widely available, and SIR identifies interventional radiologists with expertise in this area in its online physician directory," he added.

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