Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2021 | Ultrasound | Scientific Article
Efficacy and safety of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound for the treatment of painful bone metastases: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Published in: Skeletal Radiology | Issue 12/2021
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Objective
To report the safety and efficacy of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) in the treatment of painful bone metastases through a systematic review and meta-analysis of pain scores before and after MRgFUS treatment and post-treatment adverse events.
Materials and methods
A comprehensive literature search of PubMed and Embase databases was performed for studies evaluating the efficacy and/or safety of MRgFUS. The mean difference of pain scores (10-point visual analogue scale or numerical rating scale) between baseline and 1-month/3-month pain scores was collected and analyzed in a pooled meta-analysis. Post-treatment adverse events based on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) grading were recorded and the pooled prevalence was calculated.
Results
A total of 33 studies published between 2007 and 2019 were collected, resulting in a total sample size of 1082 patients. The majority of the studies were prospective with a reported follow-up period of 3 months. The pooled proportion of patients that achieved pain relief from MRgFUS (complete response or partial response [≥ 2-point improvement of pain score]) was 79% (95% CI 73–83%). The pooled 1-month and 3-month mean difference in pain score were − 3.8 (95% CI − 4.3; − 3.3) and − 4.4 (95% CI − 5.0; − 3.7), respectively. The overall rate of high-grade (CTCAE grade 3 or higher) and low-grade (CTCAE grade 2 or lower) MRgFUS-related adverse events were 0.9% and 5.9%, respectively.
Conclusion
MRgFUS is an effective procedure that is able to provide significant pain palliation for patients with symptomatic bone metastases with a favorable safety profile.