Dear Women's Imaging Insider,
Visit the Hyster Sisters Web site -- a support group for women who have undergone hysterectomy -- and certain sentiments seem to crop up repeatedly on the bulletin boards: "I am so freaked out," "This hurts like heck," "I feel numb," and "Imagine having your entire insides taken out."
While arguments can be made for and against hysterectomy, no one would deny that it’s a drastic emotional and physical choice for a woman. Chances are that many of the Hyster Sisters had the operation for the treatment of uterine fibroids. But if interventional radiologists have their way, uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) will make the invasive drama of hysterectomy for this condition a thing of the past.
In a Women’s Imaging Insider Exclusive, contributing writer Tracie Thompson offers a comprehensive look at the current state of UFE. This article -- featuring insights from several leading UFE proponents -- tracks the advent of UFE, its success thus far, and the efforts that have gone into selling the public, as well as the medical community, on the merits of UFE. You can access the article here, http://www.auntminnie.com/default.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=wom&Pag=dis&ItemId=58353
In other Women’s Imaging news, we have two articles on the benefits and drawbacks of computer-aided detection in breast imaging. Effective CAD workflow is examined here, http://www.auntminnie.com/default.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=wom&Pag=dis&ItemId=58291, while you can check out a primer on combining breast MR and CAD here, http://www.auntminnie.com/default.asp?Sec=sup&Sub=wom&Pag=dis&ItemId=58278.
