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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
Thermal Ablation for the Treatment of Abdominal Tumors
Published on: March 7, 2011
Image-guided tumor ablation: standardization of terminology and reporting criteria--a 10-year update
Muneeb Ahmed1, Luigi Solbiati, Christopher L Brace
1Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center 1 Deaconess Rd, WCC-308B, Boston, MA 02215 (M.A.); Department of Radiology, Ospedale Generale, Busto Arsizio, Italy (L.S.); Departments of Radiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wis (C.L.B.); Department of Radiology, Southampton University Hospitals, Southampton, England (D.J.B.); Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn (M.R.C., J.W.C.); Department of Ultrasound, School of Oncology, Peking University, Beijing, China (M.H.C.); Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea (B.I.C.); Department of Imaging, Institut de Cancérologie Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France (T.d.B.); Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo (G.D.D.); Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI (D.E.D.); Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass (D.A.G.); Medical Imaging, University Health Network, Laval, Quebec, Canada (D.G.); Imaging Department, the London Clinic, London, England (A.R.G.); Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, Wis (F.T.L.); Department of Radiology, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, Scotland (E.L.); Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Intervention, Cisanello Hospital, Pisa University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy (R.L.); Department of Radiology, Karmonos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich (P.J.L.); Busto Arsizio, Italy (T.L.); Department of Radiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, Calif (D.S.L.); Department of Radiology, Ambulatory Care Center, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, Calif (J.P.M.); Department of Radiology, Ospedale Valduce, Como, Italy (M.F.M.); Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Phil
Abstract:
Image-guided tumor ablation has become a well-established hallmark of local cancer therapy. The breadth of options available in this growing field increases the need for standardization of terminology and reporting criteria to facilitate effective communication of ideas and appropriate comparison among treatments that use different technologies, such as chemical (eg, ethanol or acetic acid) ablation, thermal therapies (eg, radiofrequency, laser, microwave, focused ultrasound, and cryoablation) and newer ablative modalities such as irreversible electroporation. This updated consensus document provides a framework that will facilitate the clearest communication among investigators regarding ablative technologies. An appropriate vehicle is proposed for reporting the various aspects of image-guided ablation therapy including classification of therapies, procedure terms, descriptors of imaging guidance, and terminology for imaging and pathologic findings. Methods are addressed for standardizing reporting of technique, follow-up, complications, and clinical results. As noted in the original document from 2003, adherence to the recommendations will improve the precision of communications in this field, leading to more accurate comparison of technologies and results, and ultimately to improved patient outcomes. Online supplemental material is available for this article .
