Overview

Focused ultrasound surgery (FUS) is a noninvasive treatment option for uterine fibroids — noncancerous growths of the uterus.

Also called magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery or focused ultrasound ablation, this treatment happens while you're inside an MRI scanner equipped with a high-energy ultrasound transducer.

The MRI scans give your doctor the precise location of a uterine fibroid and the locations of nearby structures to be avoided, such as the bowel and bladder. While the MRI monitors the targeted fibroid and surrounding structures, the ultrasound transducer delivers focused sound waves into the fibroid. The sound waves heat and destroy small areas of fibroid tissue until most or all of the fibroid is destroyed.

Focused ultrasound surgery isn't widely available, but is done at specialized clinics.