Reproductive Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Uterine Artery Embolization for Uterine Fibroids: Proceedings from The Dr. James B. Spies Summit for Uterine Fibroid Research- a Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation Research Consensus Panel.

Reproductive outcomes after uterine artery embolization (UAE) for the treatment of uterine fibroids are challenging to study, leaving several unanswered questions surrounding the future fertility of patients undergoing the procedure. Subject matter experts from Interventional Radiology, Diagnostic Radiology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine participated in a Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation Research Consensus Panel to discuss and prioritize critical research topics focusing on fertility and reproductive outcomes in patients undergoing UAE for symptomatic uterine fibroids. After presentations and discussion of research ideas, the panelists prioritized the following topics for further investigation: 1) a prospective study of factors that influence implantation and gene expression in patients undergoing UAE or myomectomy over 1 year, 2) refinement of a classification system for uterine fibroids that can allow for more focused study design, which may include burden of fibroid disease, and 3) conjoint analysis/discrete choice experiments to better characterize those patients for whom fertility preservation is a high priority.

Long-term health-related quality of life and symptom severity following hysterectomy, myomectomy, or uterine artery embolization for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have directly compared different surgical procedures for uterine fibroids with respect to long-term health-related quality of life outcomes and symptom improvement. OBJECTIVE: We examined differences in change from baseline to 1-, 2-, and 3-year follow-up in health-related quality of life and symptom severity among patients who underwent abdominal myomectomy, laparoscopic or robotic myomectomy, abdominal hysterectomy, laparoscopic or robotic hysterectomy, or uterine artery embolization. STUDY DESIGN: The COMPARE-UF registry is a multiinstitutional prospective observational cohort study of women undergoing treatment for uterine fibroids. A subset of 1384 women aged 31 to 45 years who underwent either abdominal myomectomy (n=237), laparoscopic myomectomy (n=272), abdominal hysterectomy (n=177), laparoscopic hysterectomy (n=522), or uterine artery embolization (n=176) were included in this analysis. We obtained demographics, fibroid history, and symptoms by questionnaires at enrollment and at 1, 2, and 3 years posttreatment. We used the UFS-QoL (Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality of Life) questionnaire to ascertain symptom severity and health-related quality of life scores among participants. To account for potential baseline differences across treatment groups, a propensity score model was used to derive overlap weights and compare total health-related quality of life and symptom severity scores after enrollment with a repeated measures model. For this health-related quality of life tool, a specific minimal clinically important difference has not been determined, but on the basis of previous research, a difference of 10 points was considered as a reasonable estimate. Use of this difference was agreed upon by the Steering Committee at the time when the analysis was planned. RESULTS: At baseline, women undergoing hysterectomy and uterine artery embolization reported the lowest health-related quality of life scores and highest symptom severity scores compared with those undergoing abdominal myomectomy or laparoscopic myomectomy (P<.001). Those undergoing hysterectomy and uterine artery embolization reported the longest duration of fibroid symptoms with a mean of 6.3 years (standard deviation, 6.7; P<.001). The most common fibroid symptoms were menorrhagia (75.3%), bulk symptoms (74.2%), and bloating (73.2%). More than half (54.9%) of participants reported anemia, and 9.4% women reported a history of blood transfusion. Across all modalities, total health-related quality of life and symptom severity score markedly improved from baseline to 1-year with the largest improvement in the laparoscopic hysterectomy group (Uterine Fibroids Symptom and Quality of Life: delta= [+] 49.2; symptom severity: delta= [-] 51.3). Those undergoing abdominal myomectomy, laparoscopic myomectomy, and uterine artery embolization also demonstrated significant improvement in health-related quality of life (delta= [+]43.9, [+]32.9, [+]40.7, respectively) and symptom severity (delta= [-]41.4, [-] 31.5, [-] 38.5, respectively) at 1 year, and the improvement persisted from baseline for uterine-sparing procedures during second (Uterine Fibroids Symptom and Quality of Life: delta= [+]40.7, [+]37.4, [+]39.3 SS: delta= [-] 38.5, [-] 32.0, [-] 37.7 and third year (Uterine Fibroids Symptom and Quality of Life: delta= [+] 40.9, [+]39.9, [+]41.1 and SS: delta= [-] 33.9, [-]36.5, [-] 33.0, respectively), posttreatment intervals, however with a trend toward decline in degree of improvement from years 1 and 2. Differences from baseline were greatest for hysterectomy; however, this may reflect the relative importance of bleeding in the Uterine Fibroids Symptom and Quality of Life, rather than clinically meaningful symptom recurrence among women undergoing uterus-sparing treatments. CONCLUSION: All treatment modalities were associated with significant improvements in health-related quality of life and symptom severity reduction 1-year posttreatment. However, abdominal myomectomy, laparoscopic myomectomy and uterine artery embolization indicated a gradual decline in symptom improvement and health-related quality of life by third year after the procedure.

Predicting the Safety and Effectiveness of Inferior Vena Cava Filters (PRESERVE): Outcomes at 12 months.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and effectiveness of vena cava filters (VCFs). METHODS: A total of 1429 participants (62.7 ± 14.7 years old; 762 [53.3% male]) consented to enroll in this prospective, nonrandomized study at 54 sites in the United States between October 10, 2015, and March 31, 2019. They were evaluated at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months following VCF implantation. Participants whose VCFs were removed were followed for 1 month after retrieval. Follow-up was performed at 3, 12, and 24 months. Predetermined composite primary safety (freedom from perioperative serious adverse events [AEs] and from clinically significant perforation, VCF embolization, caval thrombotic occlusion, and/or new deep vein thrombosis [DVT] within 12-months) and effectiveness (composite comprising procedural and technical success and freedom from new symptomatic pulmonary embolism [PE] confirmed by imaging at 12-months in situ or 1 month postretrieval) end points were assessed. RESULTS: VCFs were implanted in 1421 patients. Of these, 1019 (71.7%) had current DVT and/or PE. Anticoagulation therapy was contraindicated or had failed in 1159 (81.6%). One hundred twenty-six (8.9%) VCFs were prophylactic. Mean and median follow-up for the entire population and for those whose VCFs were not removed was 243.5 ± 243.3 days and 138 days and 332.6 ± 290 days and 235 days, respectively. VCFs were removed from 632 (44.5%) patients at a mean of 101.5 ± 72.2 days and median 86.3 days following implantation. The primary safety end point and primary effectiveness end point were both achieved. Procedural AEs were uncommon and usually minor, but one patient died during attempted VCF removal. Excluding strut perforation greater than 5 mm, which was demonstrated on 31 of 201 (15.4%) patients' computed tomography scans available to the core laboratory, and of which only 3 (0.2%) were deemed clinically significant by the site investigators, VCF-related AEs were rare (7 of 1421, 0.5%). Postfilter, venous thromboembolic events (none fatal) occurred in 93 patients (6.5%), including DVT (80 events in 74 patients [5.2%]), PE (23 events in 23 patients [1.6%]), and/or caval thrombotic occlusions (15 events in 15 patients [1.1%]). No PE occurred in patients following prophylactic placement. CONCLUSIONS: Implantation of VCFs in patients with venous thromboembolism was associated with few AEs and with a low incidence of clinically significant PEs.

The Radiology Virtual Reading Room: During and Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the radiology reading room with a potentially lasting impact. This disruption could introduce the risk of obviating the need for the reading room, which would be detrimental to many of the roles of radiology that occur in and around the reading room. This disruption could also create the opportunity for accelerated evolution of the reading room to meet the strategic needs of radiology and health care through thoughtful re-design of the virtual reading room. In this article, we overview the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiology in our institution and across the country, specifically on the dynamics of the radiology reading room. We introduce the concept of the virtual reading room, which is a redesigned alternative to the physical reading room that can serve the diverse needs of radiology and healthcare during and beyond the pandemic.

Short-term quality of life after myomectomy for uterine fibroids from the COMPARE-UF Fibroid Registry.

BACKGROUND: Uterine fibroids may decrease quality of life in a significant proportion of affected women. Myomectomy offers a uterine-sparing treatment option for patients with uterine fibroids that can be performed abdominally, laparoscopically (with or without robotic assistance), and hysteroscopically. Quality of life information using validated measures for different myomectomy routes, especially hysteroscopic myomectomy, is limited. OBJECTIVE: To compare women's perception of their short-term health-related quality of life measures and reported time to return to usual activities and return to work for different routes of myomectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Comparing Options for Management: Patient-centered Results for Uterine Fibroids (COMPARE-UF) is a prospective nationwide fibroid registry that enrolled premenopausal women seeking treatment for uterine fibroids at 8 clinical sites. For this analysis, we included women undergoing hysteroscopic, abdominal, or laparoscopic myomectomy who completed the postprocedure questionnaire scheduled between 6 and 12 weeks after surgery. Health-related quality of life outcomes, such as pain, anxiety, and return to usual activitie, were assessed for each route. The hysteroscopic myomectomy group had large differences in demographics, fibroid number, and uterine size compared to the other groups; thus, a direct comparison of quality of life measures was performed only for abdominal and laparoscopic approaches after propensity weighting. Propensity weighting was done using 24 variables that included demographics, quality of life baseline measures, and fibroid and uterine measurements. RESULTS: A total of 1206 women from 8 COMPARE-UF sites underwent myomectomy (338 hysteroscopic, 519 laparoscopic, and 349 abdominal). All women had substantial improvement in short-term health-related quality of life and symptom severity scores, which was not different among groups. Average symptom severity scores decreased about 30 points in each group. Return to usual activities averaged 0 days (interquartile range, 0-14 days) for hysteroscopic myomectomy, 21 days (interquartile range, 14-28 days) for laparoscopic myomectomy, and 28 days (interquartile range, 14-35 days) for abdominal myomectomy. After propensity adjustment, quality of life outcomes in the laparoscopic and abdominal myomectomy groups were similar except for more anxiety in the laparoscopic myomectomy group and slightly more pain in the abdominal myomectomy group. After propensity weighting, return to usual activities favored laparoscopic compared to abdominal procedures; median time was the same at 21 days, but the highest quartile of women in the abdominal group needed an additional week of recovery (interquartile range,14.0-28.0 for laparoscopic versus 14.0-35.0 for abdominal, P < .01). Time to return to work was also longer in the abdominal arm (median, 22 days; interquartile range, 14-40 days, versus median, 42; interquartile range, 27-56). CONCLUSION: Women who underwent myomectomy had substantial improvement in health-related quality of life, regardless of route of myomectomy. After propensity weighting, abdominal myomectomy was associated with a nearly 2-week longer time to return to work than laparoscopic myomectomy.

The Risk of Uterine Malignancy in a Population Being Evaluated for Uterine Fibroid Embolization.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of uterine malignancy in patients evaluated for uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) and the role of magnetic resonance imaging in triage. METHODS: Records and imaging studies of 864 UFE consult patients were reviewed for MRI findings suggestive of fibroid malignancy. Pathology was obtained for cases with suspicious baseline MRI's, and the most atypical mass was reanalyzed by an experienced radiologist, blinded to the pathological findings. RESULTS: Twenty one of 864 patients had baseline MRI findings concerning for malignancy at consultation and 17 had complete records. Re-evaluation suggested that 5 were malignant. Three were confirmed malignant (0.35%). One malignancy among the 843 without suspicious baseline MRI findings was missed at consultation. CONCLUSIONS: In our UFE population, uterine malignancy is rare (4/864, 0.46%), and MRI detected the majority, 3 (75%) of 4 before UFE. The observed prevalence of any malignancy was 0.35%, congruent with current Federal Drug Administration estimates.

Bridging Hepatocellular Carcinoma to Transplant: Transarterial Chemoembolization Response, Tumor Biology, and Recurrence after Transplantation in a 12-Year Transplant Cohort.

PURPOSE: To evaluate tumor response to transarterial chemoembolization as well as biologic characteristics of the tumor as predictors of recurrence after transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who were bridged or down-staged to liver transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An institutional review board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant, single-institution retrospective analysis was performed on all patients with HCC who were treated with the use of conventional transarterial chemoembolization or transarterial chemoembolization with drug-eluting embolics (DEE) over a 12-year period and who subsequently underwent liver transplantation (n = 142). Treatment response was based on modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST) imaging criteria and then correlated with tumor characteristics and recurrence. Of the 142 patients followed after transplantation, 127 had imaging after transarterial chemoembolization but before transplantation. Imaging response and post-transplantation recurrence were correlated with patient demographics, liver function, and tumor morphology. HCC recurred in 9 patients (mean time from transplantation, 526 days). Recurrence was analyzed with the use of univariate and multivariate statistics. Kaplan-Meier recurrence-free survival curves were calculated based on immediate imaging response before transplantation with the use of the log-rank test. RESULTS: Before transplantation, 57% of patients (72/127) demonstrated complete response (CR) and 24% (31/127) showed partial response (PR). Complete pathologic necrosis occurred in 54% (39/72) of CR patients and 20% (6/31) of PR patients. Poor treatment response, defined as stable disease (SD) or progressive disease (PD), occurred in 18% of patients (24/127) before transplantation and was present in 67% of cases of recurrence (6/9; P < .001). Post-transplantation recurrence was present in 1.4% of patients (1/71) with CR and in 6.5% of patients (2/31) with PR. In patients with SD after transarterial chemoembolization, HCC recurred in 18.8% of transplant patients (3/16) and in 43% of patients (3/7) with PD. Larger pretreatment tumor size (P = .05), higher Child-Pugh score (P = .002), higher tumor grade at explantation (P = .04), and lymphovascular invasion at explantation (P = .008) also were associated with increased incidence of post-transplantation recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Poor tumor response to transarterial chemoembolization before transplantation identifies patients at increased risk for post-transplantation recurrence.

Utility of MR Angiography in the Identification of Prostatic Artery Origin Prior to Prostatic Artery Embolization.

In 17 patients who underwent prostate artery embolization for treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms, the accuracy of preprocedural magnetic resonance (MR) angiography was retrospectively compared with intraprocedural digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in the identification of prostatic artery origin. Of 34 vessels, 26 MR angiography identified origins (76.5%) were confirmed by DSA at the time of embolization. Although image postprocessing is required, the ability of MR angiography to accurately identify prostatic artery origins prior to embolization is useful in treatment planning and can obviate the need for separate computed tomographic angiography, thus reducing both radiation dose and time demand on patients.

Leiomyoma Infarction after Uterine Artery Embolization: Influence of Embolic Agent and Leiomyoma Size and Location on Outcome.

PURPOSE: To study the factors that might impact infarction of individual uterine leiomyomas and total tumor burden after uterine artery embolization (UAE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 91 patients (mean age, 44 y [range, 34-54 y]) who underwent UAE with tris-acryl gelatin microspheres (TAGMs) or nonspherical polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles. Twenty-one patients were treated with PVA (23%) and 70 were treated with TAGMs (77%). A total of 356 uterine leiomyomas were assessed, with a median uterine volume of 533 cm3 (range, 321-848 cm3). A reader masked to demographic and technical details reviewed contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance images before and 3 months after UAE to estimate the extent of tumor infarction. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in global or individual tumor infarction rate between embolizations with TAGMs and PVA particles (P = .73 and P = .3, respectively). Global infarction was not affected by age (P = .53), race (P = .12), number of leiomyomas (P = .72), or uterine volume (P = .74). Leiomyoma size did not influence individual tumor infarction (P = .41). Leiomyoma location was the sole factor that influenced individual tumor infarction rates, with pedunculated serosal tumors significantly less likely to show complete infarction than transmural tumors (odds ratio, 0.24; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Nonspherical PVA particles and TAGMs produce similar rates of uterine leiomyoma infarction. Complete infarction of individual tumors is less likely in serosal and pedunculated serosal tumors.

Management of Uterine Fibroids: A Focus on Uterine-sparing Interventional Techniques.

Uterine fibroids occur in approximately 50% of women over the age of 40 years, and an estimated 50% of those are symptomatic. Menorrhagia is the most common symptom and the primary indication for treatment, although bulk symptoms often occur and can be treated. Pharmacotherapy is typically inadequate unless it can be expected to successfully bridge to menopause or allow for a less-invasive intervention. However, hormonal therapies have risks. Hysterectomy is still the most commonly performed procedure for symptomatic fibroids and has the lowest rate of reintervention (compared with myomectomy or uterine artery embolization [UAE]), but rates of more serious complications are higher and patient satisfaction and ability to return to normal activities may also be less favorable. Myomectomy is not necessarily less morbid than hysterectomy and may have a greater failure rate than UAE. Techniques and devices vary with little standardization, and operator experience is crucial to success. The largest studies of UAE show very low rates of serious complications and rapid recovery. UAE significantly improves symptoms related to uterine fibroids in 85%-90% of patients. Herein, this article will discuss the nature of fibroids and their diagnosis, pharmacotherapy, surgical treatment, and nonsurgical interventional treatment, including UAE and magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound. (©) RSNA, 2016.

Current Role of Uterine Artery Embolization in the Management of Uterine Fibroids.

Uterine artery embolization (UAE) is a well-established therapy for uterine fibroids, with safety and efficacy demonstrated in several comparative randomized trials. It is a minimally invasive procedure, which allows for rapid recovery and return to normal activities. Most studies demonstrate outcomes similar to those of myomectomy with a reintervention rate of 20% to 30% at 5 years after therapy. While pregnancy is often successful after UAE, limited comparative data suggest that myomectomy may be preferred in those patients who have not had prior fibroid interventions. UAE should be discussed as an option for most women presenting for treatment of fibroids.

The impact of uterine artery embolization on ovarian function.

Soon after the introduction of uterine artery embolization (UAE) as a treatment for fibroid tumors, questions arose regarding its potential impact on ovarian function. The onset of amenorrhea caused by ovarian failure after UAE was reported, and occlusion of ovarian arterial supply via uterine-arterial communications was suspected as the mechanism. Despite that, premature induction of menopause after UAE remains very infrequent. Perhaps of greater concern is a subclinical diminution of ovarian functional reserve. Data from randomized trials and prospective case series suggest that degradation of ovarian function may occur after UAE, but is concentrated in women older than age 45 years, with little evidence of an impact in women younger than 40 years of age. This review is intended to summarize current knowledge regarding the impact of UAE on ovarian reserve and the induction of menopause.

The effect of uterine fibroid embolization on lower urinary tract symptoms.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective was to determine the effect of uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and quality of life (QoL). METHODS: This prospective study included women with symptomatic fibroids and LUTS who underwent UFE between March 2008 and May 2010. Subjects underwent pre-procedural pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and completed the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6), Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7), Prolapse and Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12), Uterine Fibroid Symptom Quality of Life questionnaire (UFS-QoL), and a standardized 48-h bladder diary at baseline and 3 months after the procedure. Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) assessed post-procedural patient satisfaction. The primary outcome was subjective improvement in LUTS at 3 months, as measured by a decrease in UDI-6 score. Univariate analysis, paired t test and a stepwise regression analysis were appropriately conducted. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients underwent UFE and completed bladder diaries and questionnaires. At 3 months after UFE, patients reported a significant decrease in UDI-6, IIQ-7, and UFS-QoL, indicating an improvement in urinary symptoms and QoL. Bladder diaries showed a significant reduction in daytime and night-time voids. No difference was found in incontinence episodes. Uterine volume, dominant fibroid size, fibroid location, and MRI-confirmed bladder compression did not affect the difference in UDI-6 scores. In a stepwise regression model, BMI had a significant impact on the change in UDI-6 score, with a decrease of 1.18 points for each 1 unit increase in BMI. CONCLUSION: Uterine fibroid embolization significantly improves LUTS and urinary-related QoL. Obesity seems to attenuate this effect.

Communicating with Your Department Chair: A Primer on How to Advocate for Your IR Section.

Many interventional radiologists express concern about communicating their practice needs to their radiology department chairs. As a result, they may have difficulty getting support for hiring of additional physicians and staff, capital investments in equipment, and marketing of IR services. Some perceive that chairs have a preference for diagnostic radiology initiatives over interventional and want to know why. More importantly, they want to know how to approach their chair and succeed in their advocacy for IR. The key to success is understanding the perspective of the chair and the pressures and demands they face. That understanding allows the IR to propose their initiatives in a form that helps address some of the chair's needs and thus eases their path to success.

Predictors and Clinical Outcomes of Fibroid Expulsion After Uterine Artery Embolization.

PURPOSE: To evaluate rates of fibroid expulsion after uterine artery embolization (UAE) and risk factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-center retrospective study of UAEs for fibroids between 2016 and 2020. Preoperative UAE and patients with incomplete follow-up were excluded. Patients underwent MRI before and 3 months after UAE and/or as indicated. Medical records were reviewed, and patient demographics, fibroid characteristics and clinical events were recorded. Fibroid expulsion included fibroid exposure to the endometrial cavity on MRI, and tissue loss/passage as observed clinically or on MRI. Symptoms were considered major if requiring additional clinic visits or treatment. Statistical tests included Chi-square, Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression models. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-nine women were included. Symptomatic fibroid expulsion occurred after 31 (16%) procedures: 16 minor and 15 major. Symptoms included vaginal discharge (n = 23), bleeding (n = 9), tissue passage (n = 9), cramping/pain (n = 3), and fever (n = 4). Fifteen women (8%) needed additional care, of whom 6 (3%) required invasive procedures (4 elective hysterectomies, 1 hysteroscopic resection, 1 transvaginal removal of passing tissue). The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) classification was significantly associated with symptomatic fibroid expulsion (p = 0.001). Odds ratio for symptomatic expulsion and expulsion requiring additional care for FIGO 3-7 versus 0-2 fibroids was 0.32 (95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.71, p = 0.005) and 0.28 (95% confidence interval, 0.10-0.83, p = 0.02), respectively. Other factors were not consistently associated with expulsion. CONCLUSION: Fibroid expulsion after uterine artery embolization was more common than previously reported but mostly asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic. Women with FIGO ≤ 2 fibroids should be appropriately counseled regarding risk for expulsion.