Influence of blood vessel on the thermal lesion formation during radiofrequency ablation for liver tumors

Abstract

Studies suggested that incomplete RF tumor ablation still exists within 1 cm distance between large blood vessel and RF electrode in a liver. This could have significant impact on local tumor recurrence rates. Second, if thermally significant vessel existed inevitably within the lesion, avoiding the RF cool-tip electrode placement next to the parallel large blood vessel would have a better heat treatment during RF heating. Additionally, reduced blood flow rate could help reduce significant cooling by large blood vessel.