Radiofrequency Thermal Ablation
Computer Analysis of the Size of the Thermal Injury Created by Overlapping Ablations
Gerald D. Dodd, III1,
Mark S. Frank1,2,
Manohar Aribandi1,
Shailendra Chopra1 and
Kedar N. Chintapalli1
1
Department of Radiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San
Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX 78284.
2
Present address: Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55
Fruit St., Boston, MA 02114.

View larger version (158K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 1A. 56-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma. Enhanced CT
scan obtained before ablation shows 2.5-cm hepatocellular carcinoma.
|
|

View larger version (139K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 1B. 56-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma. Enhanced CT
scan obtained at the same level as A 6 months after tumor was treated
with single 3-cm ablation shows ablation area equal to size of tumor with no
residual tumor detected.
|
|

View larger version (160K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 1C. 56-year-old man with hepatocellular carcinoma. Resected liver
specimen 6 months after ablation shows residual tumor (arrows) not
revealed at CT.
|
|

View larger version (80K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 2. Computer representation of single-ablation model. Effective
ablation must encompass tumor plus 360° 1-cm tumor-free margin. Computer
drawing depicts tumor plus half of effective tumor-free margin (red
sphere). This 360° margin adds 2 cm to overall diameter of ablation
sphere, depicting ablation volume encompassing tumor and tumor-free
margin.
|
|

View larger version (72K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 3A. Computer representation of construction of six-sphere thermal
ablation model. Six-sphere ablation model is constructed by performing four
ablations in the x-y plane (A-C sequentially) and two along
the z-axis (D). Green sphere represents total volume of tissue
requiring ablation (tumor plus 1-cm tumor-free margin), and red spheres
represent individual thermal ablation spheres that are being overlapped.
Largest composite ablation sphere is created when all spheres are overlapped
by approximately 23% of diameter.
|
|

View larger version (76K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 3B. Computer representation of construction of six-sphere thermal
ablation model. Six-sphere ablation model is constructed by performing four
ablations in the x-y plane (A-C sequentially) and two along
the z-axis (D). Green sphere represents total volume of tissue
requiring ablation (tumor plus 1-cm tumor-free margin), and red spheres
represent individual thermal ablation spheres that are being overlapped.
Largest composite ablation sphere is created when all spheres are overlapped
by approximately 23% of diameter.
|
|

View larger version (90K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 3C. Computer representation of construction of six-sphere thermal
ablation model. Six-sphere ablation model is constructed by performing four
ablations in the x-y plane (A-C sequentially) and two along
the z-axis (D). Green sphere represents total volume of tissue
requiring ablation (tumor plus 1-cm tumor-free margin), and red spheres
represent individual thermal ablation spheres that are being overlapped.
Largest composite ablation sphere is created when all spheres are overlapped
by approximately 23% of diameter.
|
|

View larger version (96K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 3D. Computer representation of construction of six-sphere thermal
ablation model. Six-sphere ablation model is constructed by performing four
ablations in the x-y plane (A-C sequentially) and two along
the z-axis (D). Green sphere represents total volume of tissue
requiring ablation (tumor plus 1-cm tumor-free margin), and red spheres
represent individual thermal ablation spheres that are being overlapped.
Largest composite ablation sphere is created when all spheres are overlapped
by approximately 23% of diameter.
|
|

View larger version (109K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 4A. Computer representation of six-sphere thermal ablation model
depicting overlapping ablation spheres that will create composite spherical
ablation encompassing tumor and tumor-free margin. Six-sphere model shows
fissures at intersection of spheres.
|
|

View larger version (100K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 4B. Computer representation of six-sphere thermal ablation model
depicting overlapping ablation spheres that will create composite spherical
ablation encompassing tumor and tumor-free margin. Cross-section through
middle of model shows that maximum composite spherical ablation (green
area) does not touch margins at midsection.
|
|

View larger version (111K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 4C. Computer representation of six-sphere thermal ablation model
depicting overlapping ablation spheres that will create composite spherical
ablation encompassing tumor and tumor-free margin. Size of composite spherical
ablation (green area) is limited by "pits" at
intersection of three spheres.
|
|

View larger version (90K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 4D. Computer representation of six-sphere thermal ablation model
depicting overlapping ablation spheres that will create composite spherical
ablation encompassing tumor and tumor-free margin. Cut section of model shows
size of tumor that can be adequately treated (yellow area), taking
1-cm tumor free margin (green area) into account.
|
|

View larger version (82K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 5A. Computer representation of 14-sphere thermal ablation model.
Six-ablation model shows untreated tissue (green areas) at each
pit.
|
|

View larger version (113K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 5B. Computer representation of 14-sphere thermal ablation model.
Eight additional spheres (in blue) are used to cover eight pits.
|
|

View larger version (101K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 5C. Computer representation of 14-sphere thermal ablation model.
Cross-section through middle of 14-sphere ablation model shows maximum
diameter of composite spherical ablation (green area) that is 1.66
times diameter of single ablation.
|
|

View larger version (83K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 5D. Computer representation of 14-sphere thermal ablation model.
Cut section of model shows size of tumor that can be adequately treated
(yellow sphere) taking 1-cm tumor-free margin (green area)
into account.
|
|

View larger version (74K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 6A. Computer representation of cylindrical thermal ablation
model. Thermal ablation cylinders are created by overlapping multiple ablation
spheres by 58%.
|
|

View larger version (79K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 6B. Computer representation of cylindrical thermal ablation
model. Overlapping of ablation cylinders creates rectangular ablation columns
made up of individual ablation cubes.
|
|

View larger version (41K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 6C. Computer representation of cylindrical thermal ablation
model. Sides of each ablation cube are equal to 0.58 times diameter of
individual ablation sphere.
|
|

View larger version (70K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 6D. Computer representation of cylindrical thermal ablation
model. Ablation cylinders are systematically overlapped to ablate large
tumors.
|
|

View larger version (146K):
[in a new window]
|
Fig. 7. Varying sizes of thermal ablation injury by different
radiofrequency ablation devices. Cirrhotic liver of 63-year-old woman shows
varying sizes and shapes of ablations (arrows) created before liver
resection with three different radiofrequency ablation devices from different
manufacturers. Marked variation emphasizes need for systematic ablation
protocol.
|
|

CiteULike
Complore
Connotea
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Technorati What's this?
Copyright © 2001 by the American Roentgen Ray Society.