Focused Ultrasound Therapy
Focused ultrasound is a noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with adenomyosis. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasound energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the body without damaging surrounding normal tissue.
How it Works
Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces precise ablation (thermal destruction of tissue) enabling adenomyosis to be treated without surgery.
Advantages
The primary options for treatment of adenomyosis include medication and surgery.
For certain patients, focused ultrasound could provide a noninvasive alternative to surgery with less risk of complications – such as surgical wound healing or infection – at a lower cost and with a shorter recovery time. It can reach the desired target without damaging surrounding tissue and is repeatable, if necessary. The treatment has the potential to preserve fertility, because the uterus is not removed. Case studies have reported that women have conceived and had healthy babies after focused ultrasound.
Clinical Trials
A clinical trial is underway in Finland that is assessing focused ultrasound to treat adenomyosis as well as the impact for fertility after the procedure.
A clinical trial is underway in China that is treating adenomyosis in patients with refractory infertility with the goal of enhancing fertility.
The Foundation updates these pages regularly, but with the increasing number of clinical trials, we want to be sure that our audience has the latest information available. Therefore, we also added the website search information for the above trials. If you click here, it will take you to the latest information available from https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/.
See a list of treatment sites >
See a list of clinical trials sites >
See a list of laboratory research sites >
Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement
Several companies have approval to treat adenomyosis in Europe, Russia, China, Korea, the Middle East, and Taiwan.
To the best of our knowledge, focused ultrasound treatment of adenomyosis is not universally reimbursed by medical insurers in the US.
Notable Papers
Su Z, Liu S, Wang J, Jin F, Peng Y, Wen J. Retrospective cohort study on the efficacy and safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound in non-invasive treatment of uterine leiomyomas and adenomyosis. Abdom Radiol (NY). 2025 Mar 27. doi: 10.1007/s00261-025-04908-w. PMID: 40146310
Jin Z, Wang L, Wang D, Zheng Q, Qing X, Zhang Y. Innovative application of high-intensity focused ultrasound combined with endometrial thermal balloon ablation in the treatment of adenomyosis: A cohort study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2025 Apr;307:134-141. doi: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2025.01.049. Epub 2025 Jan 30. PMID: 39914106
Liu Z, Liu Z, Wan X, Wang Y, Huang X. Predicting high-intensity focused ultrasound efficacy in adenomyosis treatment based on magnetic resonance (MR) radiomics and clinical-imaging features. Clin Radiol. 2025 Feb;81:106778. doi: 10.1016/j.crad.2024.106778. Epub 2024 Dec 15. PMID: 39798274
Lin J, Yang Z, Wang L, Xiao Z, Tan T, Chen J. Efficacy of focused ultrasound ablation surgery in patients with adenomyosis and coexisting pelvic adhesions. Int J Hyperthermia. 2025 Dec;42(1):2461456. doi: 10.1080/02656736.2025.2461456. Epub 2025 Feb 13. PMID: 39947638
Zhang B, Shi J, Gu Z, Wu Y, Li X, Zhang C, Yan H, Li Q, Lyu S, Dai Y, Leng J. The role of different LNG-IUS therapies in the management of adenomyosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2025 Feb 13;23(1):23. doi: 10.1186/s12958-025-01349-4. PMID: 39948612
Liu Z, Liu Z, Wan X, Wang Y, Huang X. Prediction of clinical outcome for high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation of adenomyosis based on non-enhanced MRI radiomics. Int J Hyperthermia. 2025 Dec;42(1):2468766. doi: 10.1080/02656736.2025.2468766. Epub 2025 Feb 23. PMID: 39988330
Song Y, Wang L. Combining Medication With High-Intensity-Focused Ultrasound for Adenomyosis: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Ultrasound Med. 2024 Dec 9. doi: 10.1002/jum.16623. PMID: 39648811
Huang Y, Zhou S, Su Y, Cai S. Diffusion-weighted imaging as a non-gadolinium alternative for immediate assessing nonperfused area of adenomyosis after magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) ablation: a potential technique but with slightly overestimate. Quant Imaging Med Surg. 2024 Dec 5;14(12):9522-9532. doi: 10.21037/qims-24-453. Epub 2024 Aug 12. PMID: 39698591
Moawad G, Youssef Y, Fruscalzo A, Khedhri S, Faysal H, Pirtea P, Guani B, Vallée A, Ayoubi JM, Feki A. Effects of pretreatment strategies on fertility outcomes in patients with adenomyosis. Front Reprod Health. 2024 Dec 9;6:1484202. doi: 10.3389/frph.2024.1484202. eCollection 2024. PMID: 39717429
Peng Y, Zhang M, Yan J, Wang R, Xin Y, Zheng X, Zhu L, Fei W, Zhao M. Emerging bioengineering breakthroughs in precision diagnosis and therapy for endometriosis and adenomyosis. J Mater Chem B. 2024 Dec 24. doi: 10.1039/d4tb01755b. PMID: 39717994
Knorren ER, Nijholt IM, Schutte JM, Boomsma MF. Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery for Gynecologic Indications. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2024 Nov;32(4):615-628. doi: 10.1016/j.mric.2024.02.005. Epub 2024 Mar 27. PMID: 39322351
Zhang G, Li L, Sun M, Yu X. Progress in High Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation for Fertility Preservation Therapy of Uterine Fibroids and Adenomyosis. Reprod Sci. 2024 Nov 12. doi: 10.1007/s43032-024-01745-y. PMID: 39532767
Knorren ER, Nijholt IM, Schutte JM, Boomsma MF. Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery for Gynecologic Indications. Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2024 Nov;32(4):615-628. doi: 10.1016/j.mric.2024.02.005. Epub 2024 Mar 27. PMID: 39322351
Zhang Q, Liang X, Chen Z. An Updated Review of Thermal Ablation Technology for Uterine Fibroids and Adenomyosis: Focusing on Protecting Fertility. Int J Womens Health. 2024 Sep 23;16:1551-1563. doi: 10.2147/IJWH.S473005. eCollection 2024. PMID: 39346931
Zeccola AM, Allen SE. Alternative treatments of adenomyosis – an update in procedural management and clinical outcomes. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2024 Aug 1;36(4):287-295. doi: 10.1097/GCO.0000000000000972. Epub 2024 May 23. PMID: 38837727
Fan LX, Zhang Y, Yang LL, Ji XL, Wang Y, Huang YF, Shi L, Wen Y. Analysis of related factors influencing postoperative recurrence of adenomyosis treated with HIFU. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2024 Feb 12. doi: 10.1007/s00404-023-07340-x. PMID: 38347252
Chen Y, Lin S, Xie X, Yi J, Liu X, Guo SW. Systematic review and meta-analysis of reproductive outcomes after high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment of adenomyosis. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2024 Feb;92:102433. doi: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2023.102433. Epub 2023 Nov 25. PMID: 38065008
Tang Y, Jiang ZJ, Wen MB, Su B, Huang JR, Wang H, Wu J, Yang MT, Ding N, Hu HQ, Xu F, Li J, Shi Q. Magnetic resonance imaging-based Classifications for Symptom of Adenomyosis. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2024 Jan 17. doi: 10.1159/000535802. PMID: 38232715
Si M, Lv F, Tang M, Liu Y, Qiu X, Gong C, Hu Y, Liu Y. Non-contrast enhanced MRI for efficiency evaluation of high-intensity focused ultrasound in adenomyosis ablation. Int J Hyperthermia. 2024;41(1):2295813. doi: 10.1080/02656736.2023.2295813. Epub 2024 Jan 17. PMID: 38234000
Click here for additional references from PubMed.
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