Feasibility and efficacy of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound of breast fibroadenoma

Abstract

Objective

This nonrandomized prospective clinical trial aimed to assess the efficacy, safety and follow-up outcomes of ultrasound-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (USgHIFU) surgery in patients with breast fibroadenoma.

Methods

With the approval of the institutional ethics committee and written informed consent, a total of 113 patients diagnosed with breast fibroadenoma by core-needle biopsy in our hospital were recruited. USgHIFU surgery was performed under local anesthesia. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) or contrast-enhanced MRI (CEMRI) was performed to evaluate the nonperfused volume (NPV). The patients were followed up with physical examination and ultrasound imaging.

Results

The clinical outcome of 85 patients with 147 fibroadenomas with a follow-up time of more than 3 months was analyzed in this study. Fifty-two patients had one lesion, twenty-one patients had two lesions and twelve patients had more than two lesions. During USgHIFU, the median localization time for all fibroadenomas was 3 (interquartile range: 1, 5) min, and the median treatment time was 9 (interquartile range: 5, 15) min. Under local anesthesia, all the patients tolerated the treatment well. No serious epidermal burns were observed in any of the patients. Based on CEUS or CEMRI imaging evaluation, the median NPV ratio was 100% (interquartile range: 79.2%, 116.8%). The VRR were 26.77 ± 50.05%, 50.22 ± 42.01% and 72.74 ± 35.39% at 3–6 months, 6–12 months and >12 months, respectively, which showed significant statistical difference (p < .001).

Conclusion

Ultrasound-guided HIFU surgery is an effective and safe noninvasive alternative technique for the treatment of breast fibroadenoma.

Keywords:

• High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)
• breast fibroadenoma
• ablative technique
• minimally invasive surgery
• benign breast tumor

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

All data are fully available upon reasonable request. The corresponding authors should be contacted if someone wants to request the data.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering [Grant No. 2021KFKT002, Grant No. 2021KFKT014 and Grant No. 2022KFKT009].