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The miracle of painless treatment: Why can Sonalleve MR-HIFU completely change the treatment of uterine fibroids?
With the rapid development of medical technology today, the treatment of uterine fibroids has also undergone revolutionary changes. The Sonalleve MR-HIFU system was developed by Philips Healthcare and uses high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) technology, supplemented by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to non-invasively treat uterine fibroids, effectively reducing surgical risks and recovery time for patients.
Technology Overview
Sonalleve uses a special transducer to focus the ultrasound beam on the fibroids in the body. The focused ultrasound can generate high temperatures in a small area. After a long enough time, the high temperature will cause necrosis of the fibroid tissue.
The treatment process is guided in real time by MRI, with feedback provided to ensure that the heat is properly delivered to each target tissue. In addition, Philips' unique volume ablation technology makes the treatment of larger lesions more efficient.
Device Authentication
Sonalleve is officially certified in Europe, most of Asia, the Middle East and South America and has obtained the CE mark, which means that the product complies with the essential requirements related to health and safety. Philips is also applying for FDA approval in the United States, and related clinical trials and research have made progress. The device is also certified for the treatment of bone metastases and is being developed for use in prostate and breast cancer.
Treatment Procedure
Compared with traditional treatments for uterine fibroids, Sonalleve's treatment process is faster and more comfortable, including specialized surgeries such as hysterectomy, myomectomy and uterine artery embolization. This procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis and the patient can be discharged from the hospital the same day.
Planning Phase
Patients will undergo 3D MRI imaging to assess their eligibility for treatment, and if eligible, a treatment plan will be initiated. During the treatment, the patient lies prone on the MRI table and the treatment area is marked.
Non-invasive treatment phase
During the treatment, high-intensity ultrasound waves are focused onto the fibroid, raising its temperature and causing the tissue to solidify. This process often requires multiple ultrasound irradiations, the number and duration of which depend on the size of the fibroids. The entire process will be carried out under MRI monitoring, and the patient can stop it at any time through a handheld device.
Treatment confirmation phase
After treatment, contrast-enhanced MRI is done to assess the effectiveness of the therapy and to determine the nonvascular volume (NPV), that is, whether tissue has become unusable.
Benefits of treatment
The system makes planning and implementation easier for doctors and provides subsidies to patients who would normally decline surgery. And for patients, this represents a non-invasive treatment option that requires no anesthesia and has a short recovery period.
Installation location
The Sonalleve MR-HIFU system has been studied at 16 locations in the United States, Europe and Asia, and more than 50 systems have been installed worldwide, with Asia and Europe being the main installation areas. India has seven systems, with the Azand Hospital having installed them at three of its facilities in Chernai, Bangalore and New Delhi.
This treatment is now available at multiple clinics such as Clumax Diagnostics and SRL Jankharia Imaging, allowing more patients to benefit from this non-invasive technology.
With further development of technology, this treatment method may become the mainstream choice for the treatment of uterine fibroids in the future. Do you think non-invasive treatment will become the new normal?
