Image-guided Tumor Ablation: Standardization of Terminology and Reporting Criteria

Abstract

The field of interventional oncology with use of image-guided tumor ablation requires standardization of terminology and reporting criteria to facilitate effective communication of ideas and appropriate comparison between treatments that use different technologies, such as chemical (ethanol or acetic acid) ablation, and thermal therapies, such as radiofrequency (RF), laser, microwave, ultrasound, and cryoablation. This document provides a framework that will hopefully facilitate the clearest communication between investigators and will provide the greatest flexibility in comparison between the many new, exciting, and emerging technologies. An appropriate vehicle for reporting the various aspects of image-guided ablation therapy, including classification of therapies and procedure terms, appropriate descriptors of imaging guidance, and terminology to define imaging and pathologic findings, are outlined. Methods for standardizing the reporting of follow-up findings and complications and other important aspects that require attention when reporting clinical results are addressed. It is the group's intention that adherence to the recommendations will facilitate achievement of the group's main objective: improved precision

Automatic temperature control for MR-guided interstitial ultrasound ablation in liver using a percutaneous applicator: Ex vivo and in vivo initial studies

“…Neither animal mortality nor major complication, as previously defined (35), occurred as a result of the experiments. Strictly, no thermal lesion of the skin or liver parenchyma was detected postoperatively, potentially occurring from ''antenna effect'' coupling between the tubular copper segment of the applicator and the MR RF pulses.…”

Midterm outcomes in patients with intermediate‐sized hepatocellular carcinoma

“…1 In recent years, screening programs for high-risk patients have gained popularity, and many patients have been diagnosed with small-sized HCCs (diameter, 3 cm or less), 2 whereas some patients have been diagnosed with intermediate-sized (diameter, 3.1-5.0 cm) or large-sized (diameter, >5 cm) HCCs. In a nationwide survey in Japan, 22.1% of HCC patients had HCCs with a maximum diameter of 3.1 to 5.0 cm at the initial diagnosis.…”

Incorporation of Preprocedural PET into CT-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatic Metastases: a Nonrigid Image Registration Validation Study

“…If aligned correctly, the fusion of archived preprocedural PET and the intraprocedural volumetric CT can achieve almost every aspect of an ideal intraprocedural imaging modality for cancer treatment interventions: highlighted tumor with clear delineation of surrounding anatomy, multiplanar and interactive visualization capabilities 36 , low radiation exposure risk, and no special ablation instrument during the procedure. 37 Unfortunately, the functional information from PET, even when available on the picture archiving and communication system, remains unavailable on image-guidance workstations in interventional pro- cedure suites, mainly because it is not spatially coupled with the ongoing guidance roadmap, the CT. We have proposed a workflow for combining PET and CT, with hardware acceleration that removes current barriers to dual-modality roadmapping.…”