Percutaneous Saline-Enhanced Radiofrequency Ablation of Unresectable Hepatic Tumors: Initial Experience in 26 Patients

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Abstract
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous saline-enhanced radiofrequency ablation for unresectable primary or metastatic hepatic tumors.SUBJECTS AND METHODS. Twenty-six patients with 15 hepatocellular carcinomas and 33 hepatic metastases (maximum diameter ≤ 8.6 cm) were treated; of these, seven tumors in five patients were treated twice. Thus, 44 radiofrequency treatments were performed. Saline-enhanced and impedance-controlled radiofrequency ablation (0.5–1.1 mL/min of saline, 15-mm conductive portion of the electrode tip, 25–60 W, 5–43 min) was performed using MR imaging guidance. Coagulation necrosis, volume indexes, morbidity, and complications were assessed.RESULTS. The volume of coagulation necrosis 1–7 days after radiofrequency ablation was 1.6–126.6 cm3 (median, 18.9 cm3), corresponding to coagulation diameters of 1.5–6.2 cm (median, 3.2 cm). The coagulation volume was significantly larger if there were more than four radiofrequency applications (p...