It is essential to accurately diagnose uterine fibroids if you want to receive the right treatment.
A doctor uses diagnostic radiology or imaging techniques like ultrasound and MRI or magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosing uterine fibroids.
How do these techniques differ? What works better to diagnose the condition?
There is a range of problems usually associated with the menstrual cycle. Some of these problems include painful bleeding, prolonged menses, pain during sex, fatigue as a result of prolonged bleeding, and anemia. These symptoms may be caused by cervical cancer, uterine cancer, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and adenomyosis, among others.
Ultrasound
Your doctor will do a physical exam when you consult him about any of these problems. He will then recommend a pelvic ultrasound – an imaging approach that uses sound waves to produce an image of your uterus. He may also suggest a saline infusion sonography – a technique that calls for the uterus to be injected with a salt solution, to create a clearer image of the uterus.
If you have uterine fibroids, an ultrasound will show the fibroids – even the small ones that a doctor may fail to discover during a pelvic exam. It will show if there are fibroids in the uterus, how many there are, and where they are found within the uterus. It gives you an overall picture of your uterus, including the ovaries and the uterine lining.
An ultrasound, however, has limitations. It is not able to differentiate between uterine fibroids, adenomyosis (a condition characterized by the abnormal enlargement of the uterine lining), and leiomyosarcoma (cancerous tumors).
An ultrasound is an adequate initial step to help the doctor evaluate suspected fibroids. Before a doctor can recommend surgery or intervention, however, he needs more information. This is where an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) comes in.
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
MRI is a non-invasive imaging technique with high resolution. It combines radio waves and magnetic field to provide a more detailed and clearer anatomic image.
It helps characterize pelvic growths. It is able to differentiate between adenomyosis and uterine fibroids. It is able to show if the patient has leiomyosarcoma. It provides the information that the doctor needs to be able to come up with an effective plan to treat the condition.
A doctor usually employs both ultrasound and MRI if he suspects uterine fibroids. They are complementary techniques; they help a doctor diagnose and monitor fibroids after treatment.
When you combine an ultrasound with MRI, you get a thorough picture that shows all the fibroids in the uterus, where they are, and what they look like. After treatment, MRI helps to monitor progress. It shows if fibroids have recurred. It indicates if repeat intervention is called for.
An MRI has certain drawbacks. Women who use certain contraceptive intrauterine apparatus, tubal ligation clips, pacemakers, or other implanted devices can’t undertake an MRI.
An MRI is expensive. It is not available in some areas. It is not included in some health insurance coverage. It is longer and more difficult procedure than other imaging options like an x-ray or a CT scan. However, in the case of fibroids, the latter options are not the ideal diagnostic techniques.
An MRI provides valuable clinical data. It helps to diagnose fibroids and to plan for treatment. A doctor usually asks a patient to undergo an MRI to help him decide what procedure to recommend for addressing uterine fibroids.
An MRI helps a doctor give the patient a thorough evaluation. It helps him address a patient’s questions and expectations prior to carrying out any interventional procedure.
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