A comparison of direct heating during radiofrequency and microwave ablation in ex vivo liver

This study was designed to determine the magnitude and spatial distribution of temperature elevations when using 480 kHz RF and 2.45 GHz microwave energy in ex vivo liver models.

A total of 60 heating cycles (20 s at 90 W) were performed in normal, RF-ablated, and microwave-ablated liver tissues (n = 10 RF and n = 10 microwave in each tissue type). Heating cycles were performed using a 480-kHz generator and 3-cm cooled-tip electrode (RF) or a 2.45-GHz generator and 14-gauge monopole (microwave) and were designed to isolate direct heating from each energy type. Tissue temperatures were measured by using fiberoptic thermosensors 5, 10, and 15 mm radially from the ablation applicator at the depth of maximal heating. Power delivered, sensor location, heating rates, and maximal temperatures were compared using mixed effects regression models.

No significant differences were noted in mean power delivered or thermosensor locations between RF and microwave heating groups (P > 0.05). Microwaves produced significantly more rapid heating than RF at 5, 10, and 15 mm in normal tissue (3.0 vs. 0.73, 0.85 vs. 0.21, and 0.17 vs. 0.09 °C/s; P < 0.05); and at 5 and 10 mm in ablated tissues (2.3 ± 1.4 vs. 0.7 ± 0.3, 0.5 ± 0.3 vs. 0.2 ± 0 °C/s, P < 0.05). The radial depth of heating was ~5 mm greater for microwaves than RF.

Direct heating obtained with 2.45-GHz microwave energy using a single needle-like applicator is faster and covers a larger volume of tissue than 480-kHz RF energy.