Objective To evaluate the reliability of diagnostic ultrasound-based temperature and elasticity imaging during radiofrequency ablation (RFA) through ex vivo experiments. Methods Procine liver samples (n=7) were employed for RFA experiments with exposures of different power intensities (10 and 50w). The RFA process was monitored by a diagnostic ultrasound imager and the information were postoperatively captured for further temperture and elasticity image analysis. Infarred themometry was concurrently applied to provide temperatuer change calibation during the RFA process. Results Results from this study demonstrated that temperature imaging was valid under 10 W RF exposure (r=0.95), but the ablation zone was no longer consistent with the reference infarred tempetuare distriubtion under high RF exposures. The elstaicity change could well reflect the ablation zone under a 50 W exposure, whereas under low exposures, the thermal lesion could not be well detected due to the limited range of temperature elevation and incomplete tissue necrosis. Conclusion Diagnostic ultrasound-based temperaure and elastogrphy is valid for monitoring thr RFA process. Temperature estimation can well reflect mild-power RF ablation dynamics, wehreas the elastic-change estimation can can well predict the tissue necrosis. This study provide advances torward using diagnostic ultrasound to monitor RFA or other thermal-based interventions.

Objective To evaluate the reliability of diagnostic ultrasound-based temperature and elasticity imaging during radiofrequency ablation (RFA) through ex vivo experiments. Methods Procine liver samples (n=7) were employed for RFA experiments with exposures of different power intensities (10 and 50w). The RFA process was monitored by a diagnostic ultrasound imager and the information were postoperatively captured for further temperture and elasticity image analysis. Infarred themometry was concurrently applied to provide temperatuer change calibation during the RFA process. Results Results from this study demonstrated that temperature imaging was valid under 10 W RF exposure (r=0.95), but the ablation zone was no longer consistent with the reference infarred tempetuare distriubtion under high RF exposures. The elstaicity change could well reflect the ablation zone under a 50 W exposure, whereas under low exposures, the thermal lesion could not be well detected due to the limited range of temperature elevation and incomplete tissue necrosis. Conclusion Diagnostic ultrasound-based temperaure and elastogrphy is valid for monitoring thr RFA process. Temperature estimation can well reflect mild-power RF ablation dynamics, wehreas the elastic-change estimation can can well predict the tissue necrosis. This study provide advances torward using diagnostic ultrasound to monitor RFA or other thermal-based interventions.