OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of transrectal ultrasound-guided microwave ablation of canine prostate tissue.

METHODSGuided by transrectal ultrasound, we conducted microwave ablation on each side of the prostate in 12 male dogs, 6 at 40 W/ 120 s (group A) and the other 6 at 40 W/160 s (group B), and observed the changes in the thermal lesions using grayscale ultrasound. After thermal ablation, we measured the volume of the thermal lesions by contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Then we harvested the whole prostate from the animals and determined the lesion volumes in the fresh tissue specimens.

RESULTSGrayscale ultrasound revealed an echogenic area at the initiation of the microwave ablation procedure, which was enlarged with the increase of ablation time. At the end of the procedure, the lesions appeared as an irregular heterogeneous echogenic area. CEUS showed oval non-perfused areas, which appeared as well-defined non-echoic areas in sharp contrast with the surrounding normal prostate parenchyma with bolus injection of contrast material (Sonovue, 2.4 ml), and that the thermal lesion volumes of groups A and B were (1.18 +/- 0.23) cm3 and (1.52 +/- 0.23) cm3, respectively. The thermal lesions of the gross specimen exhibited an elliptical shape, pale color and clear margin, and their volumes were (1.13 +/- 0.20) cm3 and (1.48 +/- 0.20) cm3, respectively, in groups A and B.

CONCLUSIONDifferent combinations of time and power can produce coagulative necrotic lesions of different volumes in the local prostatic tissue. CEUS can accurately manifest the lesion area and thus avoid excessive or inadequate ablation treatment.