Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation with Multiple Electrodes for Medium-Sized Hepatocellular Carcinomas.
- Author:
Jung LEE
1
;
Jeong Min LEE
;
Jung Hwan YOON
;
Jae Young LEE
;
Se Hyung KIM
;
Jeong Eun LEE
;
Joon Koo HAN
;
Byung Ihn CHOI
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords: Liver; Interventional procedures; Radiofrequency ablation; Preliminary clinical study
- MeSH: Adult; Aged; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/radiography/*surgery; Catheter Ablation/instrumentation/*methods; Contrast Media/diagnostic use; Disease Progression; Electrodes; Female; Humans; Iohexol/analogs & derivatives/diagnostic use; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Liver Neoplasms/radiography/*surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Prospective Studies; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/*methods; Ultrasonography, Interventional
- From:Korean Journal of Radiology 2012;13(1):34-43
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate the safety and short-term therapeutic efficacy of switching monopolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with multiple electrodes to treat medium-sized (3.1-5.0 cm), hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, 30 patients with single medium-sized HCCs (mean, 3.5 cm; range, 3.1-4.4 cm) were enrolled. The patients were treated under ultrasonographic guidance by percutaneous switching monopolar RFA with a multichannel RF generator and two or three internally cooled electrodes. Contrast-enhanced CT scans were obtained immediately after RFA, and the diameters and volume of the ablation zones were then measured. Follow-up CT scans were performed at the first month after ablation and every three months thereafter. Technical effectiveness, local progression and remote recurrence of HCCs were determined. RESULTS: There were no major immediate or periprocedural complications. However, there was one bile duct stricture during the follow-up period. Technical effectiveness was achieved in 29 of 30 patients (97%). The total ablation time of the procedures was 25.4 +/- 8.9 minutes. The mean ablation volume was 73.8 +/- 56.4 cm3 and the minimum diameter was 4.1 +/- 7.3 cm. During the follow-up period (mean, 12.5 months), local tumor progression occurred in three of 29 patients (10%) with technical effectiveness, while new HCCs were detected in six of 29 patients (21%). CONCLUSION: Switching monopolar RFA with multiple electrodes in order to achieve a sufficient ablation volume is safe and efficient. This method also showed relatively successful therapeutic effectiveness on short-term follow up for the treatment of medium-sized HCCs.
