Optimal approach for complete liver tumor ablation using radiofrequency ablation: a simulation study.

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Computational Biology
• Oncology

Background:

• Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive technique for tumor treatment.
• Optimizing RFA electrode placement is critical for achieving complete tumor ablation and improving patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) electrode trajectory on achieving complete tumor ablation.
• To utilize computational simulation to analyze optimal electrode placement strategies.

Main Methods:

• Simulated RFA of a 2.0 cm spherical tumor with a 0.5 cm safety margin using Finite Element Analysis software.
• Targeted electrode-tip placement at 86 points within one-eighth of the tumor volume across axial, sagittal, and coronal planes.
• Varied electrode insertion angles (-90° to +90°) in craniocaudal and orbital planes to assess trajectory effects.

Main Results:

• Complete tumor ablation was consistently achieved when the electrode tip penetrated the tumor epicenter, irrespective of insertion angles.
• Optimal electrode placement sites and angles were identified that also resulted in complete tumor ablation.

Conclusions:

• Identifying the tumor epicenter on central axial images is essential for maximizing the success rate of complete tumor ablation during RFA.
• Computational modeling provides valuable insights into optimizing RFA procedures for enhanced efficacy.