Effectiveness of Magnetic Resonance Angiography in Pre-Operative Assessment of Four Uterine Artery Variants in Women with Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of non-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (NCE-MRA) for assessing uterine artery (UA) anatomy and report the prevalence of anatomical forms of the UA in women undergoing uterine artery embolization (UAE). Design: Retrospective study. Methods: NCE-MRA images of 110 patients undergoing UAE for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids were retrospectively assessed and the bifurcation patterns of their UAs were bilaterally classified into four types. Results: In our population, 61% of the UAs presented with type I bifurcation, followed by type IV (16%), type III (15%), and type II (8%). Conclusion: Preprocedural NCE-MRA allowed for accurate classification of the bifurcation patterns of UAs.