Noninvasive, in vivo determination of uterine fibroid thermal conductivity in MRI‐guided high intensity focused ultrasound therapy

Purpose: To estimate the local thermal conductivity of uterine fibroid in vivo at a high temperature range (60‐80 � C) typically encountered in magnetic resonance imagingguided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHIFU) surgery. The thermal conductivity of uterine fibroids in vivo is unknown and knowledge about tissue thermal conductivity may aid in effective delivery of thermal energy for ablation. Materials and Methods: All subjects (nine women) provided written informed consent to participate in this Institutional Review Board-approved study. A total of 10 fibroids were treated using MRgHIFU surgery with realtime temperature monitoring during both heating and cooling periods. The local thermal conductivity was determined by analyzing the spatiotemporal spread of temperature during the cooling period. Results: The thermal conductivity of MRgHIFU-treated