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Letter
to Colleagues from Dr. Sarti
Dear Colleague:
Uterine fibroids are commonly present and a significant percentage of these fibroids
cause various symptoms that impact the quality of a woman's life. Various treatments
have included hysterectomy, myomectomy, hormonal medication and uterine artery
embolization.
I have been involved in the field of ultrasound since 1973 and have seen numerous,
exciting changes through the years. The recent development of focused ultrasound
surgery (FUS) may well prove to be one of the most important advances in years.
FUS marries two technologies, ultrasound and MRI, to provide a noninvasive procedure
that precisely destroys internal regions of pathology. This is accomplished by
placing an ultrasound transducer on the surface of a patient and focusing the
energy at a specific, controllable depth and position inside the body. The location
of the focal point can be precisely monitored by MRI, which records the temperature
elevation from heat generated over time. Once temperature reaches 57°C for
1 second, tissue is destroyed within the focal zone. The size of the focal zone
is variable and controllable and approximates 6 x 18 mm. Tissue within 2-3 mm
of the focal zone is unaffected and microscopic evaluation demonstrates a very
precise demarcation between normal and destroyed tissue.
In essence, we have a very precise ultrasound surgical tool that is monitored,
in real time, by MRI. The patient leaves the procedure within one hour of completion
and returns to work within 1-2 days.
Adverse effects from the procedure are approximately 4-5%. The two most common
events are 1st or 2nd degree skin burns over the lower abdomen at the site of
contact and transient sciatica resolving in 1-2 days.
Beverly Tower Wilshire Advanced
Imaging Center is proud to be one of the selected Imaging
sites that perform this advanced treatment. As of January
2006 approximately 1,000 patients have been treated
at either our location, John’s Hopkins University,
Peter Bent Brigham, the Mayo Clinic and a few other
institutions around the world.
This is an exciting procedure that has helped so many women
already. Hopefully this type of treatment will one day
be used on certain cancers.
Thank you,
Dennis A. Sarti, MD, FACR
Medical Director
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