Ronit Machtinger, M.D.
Training Site: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston
Mentor: Clare Tempany, M.D.; Fiona Fennessey, M.D.
Fellowship Period: September 2009 – August 2011 (20% effort)
I am currently working as a senior physician in IVF unit and MRgFUS unit at the Sheba Medical Center Tel Hashomer Israel. For the last 4 years I have been exposed to HIFU technology at the Sheba Medical center working with Drs. Inbar and Rabinovici. As a part of my duty, I take an active part in the ambulatory clinics treating patients willing to undergo routine treatments of uterine fibroids, as well as participate in clinical trials.
In September 2009 I intend to start a two-year research fellowship in the IVF unit at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. As Professor Tempany is one of the pioneers in the treatment of MRgFUS in the world, I plan to spend one day a week in her MRgFUS unit and collaborate with her team. I hope to perform preclinical research and data analysis in the treatment of uterine fibroids in Brigham. Our fields of interest include:
- Identifying the most suitable patients for the treatment of fibroids with MRgFUS.
- Evaluating the data of patients that were found compatible for the treatment in the first visit (by the Ob/Gyn), but not according to the screening MRI, in order to determine the cost effectiveness of the screening.
- Cost effectiveness analysis of the FUS treatment for fibroids (compared with myomectomy, hysterectomy and UAE).
- Assessment of the durability of MRgFUS treatment of fibroids.
In the future, once completing the fellowship, I plan to continue the collaboration between Brigham and Sheba and I'm sure that the knowledge from Brigham will clearly contribute to the on-going MRgFUS program at the Sheba medical center. The identification of the subgroup of women with highest success rates may result in higher satisfaction rates and increased durability of the treatment.
Progress Reports: 6-month progress report; 12-month progress report; 18-month progress report; Final progress report
