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If you have symptoms of uterine fibroids, you should discuss it with your women’s health physician or gynecologist, who will examine you and may also conduct an ultrasound. If your doctor determines that you have fibroids, you may be referred to an interventional radiologist to determine whether you are a candidate for uterine fibroid embolization (UFE).

An interventional radiologist is a medical doctor with additional education and training in addition to the required 4 years of a basic diagnostic radiology residency. These physicians are specialists who use radiologic imaging to guide their procedures. They treat disorders of the body using minimally invasive techniques and access the body through the blood vessels using catheters and other tiny instruments.

During the consultation, the interventional radiologist will evaluate your clinical symptoms and your medical history. Then, a pelvic MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) will be performed to determine whether you are a good candidate for UFE based on the size and location of the fibroids as well as their blood supply. An MRI is an imaging study that, unlike an x-ray, does not use radiation. It provides detailed pictures of the uterine area. During the MRI, you will lie on a pelvic cushion with a belt-like device wrapped around the abdomen/pelvic area, and you will be asked not to move while the images are being taken. Once the results of the MRI are known, the UFE procedure will be scheduled (if indicated). 

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