Microwave ablation planning in fatty liver based on fat content-dependent electrical properties.

Efficacy and safety of multiple treatments for small hepatocellular carcinoma: an updated systematic review and component network meta analysis.

Percutaneous Sclerotherapy Followed by Transabdominal Microwave Ablation for Treatment of Uterine Fibroids: A Prospective Study.

Metabolic-epigenetic regulation of TRPM3 via H3K18 lactylation in dorsal root ganglia mediates bone cancer pain and its attenuation by microwave ablation.

Beyond the ablation difficulty score (ADS): A novel ablation risk score (ARS) for predicting microwave ablation outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Chronic pelvic pain in women is often multifactorial and associated with amarked impairment in quality of life. Among the most common structural causes are symptomatic uterine fibroids and pelvic congestion syndrome. This review provides an overview of interventional radiological treatment options for both conditions, with afocus on pain reduction and clinical effectiveness. Current reviews, meta-analyses, and clinical studies on uterine artery embolization (UAE), magnetic resonance (MR-)high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and radiofrequency and microwave ablation for the treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids, as well as pelvic vein embolization for pelvic congestion syndrome, were summarized. In uterine fibroids, UAE, HIFU/MR-HIFU, and thermal ablation techniques improve symptoms and quality of life. UAE is particularly well established for multiple and large fibroids, whereas HIFU and thermal ablation techniques appear especially suitable for selected, more focal lesions. In pelvic congestion syndrome, meta-analyses demonstrate amarked and sustained reduction in pain following pelvic vein embolization. Interventional radiological procedures represent effective organ-preserving treatment options for both conditions. While the analgesic effect in pelvic congestion syndrome is usually demonstrated directly by pain scales, in fibroid therapies it is generally assessed only indirectly through symptom and quality-of-life parameters. Standardized assessment of pain could help to define patient-relevant benefit more clearly in future studies.

Efficacy and safety of microwave ablation employing sodium hyaluronate hydrodissection for treating thyroid nodules

Radiation Segmentectomy versus Combined Chemoembolization plus Microwave Ablation: Histopathologic Tumor Necrosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Measuring up to 5 cm.

Superb microvascular imaging for evaluating the efficacy of microwave ablation in primary Hyperparathyroidism: A prospective study.

Purpose To fully exploit the advantages of ablation planning software, discrepancies between predicted and actual ablation zones should be minimized. This study evaluated the volumetric and geometric correspondence between manufacturer-predicted and actual ablation zones following thermal liver ablation. Methods This multicenter retrospective study included Emprint microwave ablations with intraprocedural needle and post-ablation confirmation CT scans. The needle position was determined on the needle confirmation scan and subsequently registered to the post-ablation contrast-enhanced CT scan. Manufacturer-predicted ablation zones were projected onto segmented actual ablation zones to calculate overlap metrics: Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), average surface distance (ASD), and the under-ablated volume ratio (UAR), defined as the uncovered fraction of the predicted ablation volume. The UAR was correlated with calculated minimal ablation margins (MAM) using Spearman’s rank correlation. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test if metrics differed for patient-specific factors. Results Forty-seven ablations were analyzed. Median predicted and actual ablation volumes were 23.3 cm3 [IQR: 18.0–27.4] and 19.0 cm3 [13.9–30.1] (p = 0.22), showing moderate correlation (r = 0.57, p < 0.01). Median DSC was 0.72 [0.64–0.79], ASD 3.1 mm [2.5–3.7], and UAR 0.26 [0.18–0.45]. None of these measures differed significantly by cirrhosis, vascular proximity or subcapsular location. UAR showed a moderate negative correlation with the MAM (r = −0.54, p = 0.0018). Conclusion Emprint-predicted ablation zones show moderate correspondence with actual ablation zones, with no significant association observed for liver cirrhosis, vascular proximity, or subcapsular location. The observed association between UAR and MAM underscores the need to refine prediction models to achieve adequate ablative margins.

Thermal ablation has become an important treatment option for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma with the development of interventional ultrasound technology. However, in the treatment of medium-to-large-volume tumors, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and high-risk anatomical sites, it still faces clinical bottlenecks such as high recurrence rates and difficulties with margin control. This article discusses current clinical difficulties and explores indication expansion and coping strategies for various ablation techniques. The "no touch" strategies of radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation have shown an overall survival period that is comparable to that of surgery for medium or multiple tumors that are 3 to 5 cm in size. Microwave ablation and repeated surgical resection that meets the Milan criteria have similar overall and disease-free survival rates in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Non-thermal ablation techniques such as irreversible electroporation offer safe alternatives for refractory lesions adjacent to large blood vessels or bile ducts due to their characteristics of no heat-sink effect and preservation of collagen scaffolds. Image fusion navigation and synergistic "ablation plus immunotherapy" may be key directions for overcoming local control bottlenecks and improving long-term prognosis in the future.

Thermal ablation for early-stage breast cancer: cryoablation, microwave ablation, radiofrequency ablation, high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation, and laser ablation - a systematic review.

Thyroid nodules are a common clinical condition, while thermal ablation (TA) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to surgery. Single-session ablation often fails to achieve complete symptomatic resolution in large, hypervascular nodules. Post-ablation carbonization further limits volumetric resorption, necessitating optimized therapeutic strategies. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and preliminary efficacy of combined vacuum-assisted excision and thermal ablation (VAE-TA) for symptomatic benign thyroid nodules refractory to initial ablation. From December 2023 to January 2025, five patients underwent VAE-TA at a single center. Inclusion criteria included persistent symptoms ≥12 months post-initial ablation and confirmed benignity via fine-needle aspiration. The procedure involved ultrasound-guided vacuum-assisted excision of post-ablation fibrotic tissue followed by microwave ablation. Primary outcomes included feasibility and safety, while secondary outcomes focused on volume reduction rate (VRR) and symptom improvement. Patients were followed up at 1 and 6 months. These preliminary findings suggest that VAE-TA may be a feasible, minimally invasive salvage approach for selected symptomatic benign thyroid nodules with incomplete response to initial ablation, although larger, controlled studies with longer follow-up are required.

Localized treatment of oligometastatic liver disease can improve both local control and survival. The liver is a frequent site of metastases from colorectal, breast, and lung cancers, but most patients are not eligible for surgical resection due to lesion number, location, or comorbidities. For these patients, non-surgical ablative methods such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and increasingly microwave ablation (MWA) are used. RFA was used as the primary comparator in this review because it represents the most historically established and widely reported ablative modality in the comparative radiotherapy literature. While RFA has been the traditional approach, SBRT is emerging as a promising alternative, offering precise, non-invasive treatment. SBRT may be especially useful for larger lesions or tumors in locations where RFA is difficult to perform. However, high-quality evidence and large-scale trials are still needed to confirm its efficacy and define its role. This review compares the strengths and limitations of both methods and provides practical guidance for clinical decision-making in the treatment of patients with inoperable liver metastases.

This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and safety of percutaneous computed tomography (CT)-guided microwave ablation (MWA) for the treatment of large inoperable pulmonary metastases from sarcoma. The study was approved by the institutional review board, and informed consent was obtained from all patients. From January 1, 2011, to May 1, 2018, 15 patients with sarcoma (9 males and 6 females; median age 35 years) with 17 large inoperable pulmonary metastases from sarcoma (mean size, 7.6 ± 1.7 cm; range, 5.0-10.8 cm) received percutaneous CT-guided microwave ablation. The treatment efficacy, complications and overall survival were evaluated. The median follow-up was 24.6 months (range 1.6-65.8 months). Complete response was achieved in 4 tumors (23.5%), partial response in 11 tumors (64.7%), while 2 tumors (11.8%) demonstrated disease progression. The 1-, 2- and 3-year overall survival rates were 78.6%, 69.8% and 50.9%, respectively. The median overall survival time was 39 months (95% CI 18.2-59.8 months). Curative ablation was associated with significantly improved local progression-free survival compared with palliative ablation (median LPFS: not reached vs 17.09 months; HR 4.913, 95% CI: 1.039-23.24, p = 0.046). No treatment-related death occurred. Pneumothorax was the most common complication with an incidence of 20.8%(n = 5). The median hospital stay was 5 days. CT-guided microwave ablation appears to be a safe and effective treatment for large inoperable pulmonary metastases from sarcoma.

The local efficacy of microwave ablation versus surgical resection for subcapsular colorectal liver metastases.

Introduction:Osteoid osteoma is a benign bone tumor that commonly manifests in the lower extremities and causes significant pain. Contemporary treatment for this condition has shifted toward the use of percutaneous ablation techniques. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of microwave ablation in patients with osteoid osteoma.Materials and Methods:This retrospective study analyzed 35 patients with osteoid osteoma treated using microwave ablation between June 2019 and June 2025. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics, such as tumor location, pain levels (assessed using the Visual Analog Scale [VAS]), complications, and hospital stay, were recorded and analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results:The average patient age was 18.08 ± 8.6 years, and the proximal femur was the most commonly affected site (9/35 patients [27%]). Microwave ablation significantly reduced pain in 34 of 35 patients (97.1%), with average VAS scores decreasing from 7.4 ± 0.94 to 1.9 ± 0.7 after the procedure. Complications occurred in 5 of 35 patients (14.3%), and the average hospital stay was 3 days.Conclusion:Our retrospective analysis showed that microwave ablation helped achieve significant pain reduction in patients with osteoid osteoma. While the procedure demonstrates efficacy, caution is necessary to minimize the risk of thermal injury to surrounding non-target tissues.

To evaluate the safety and accuracy of robot-assisted microwave ablation (MWA) for primary and secondary liver tumors using the Epione (Quantum Surgical, Montpellier, France) robotic system. This single-center retrospective study included all computed tomography (CT)-guided robotic MWA procedures performed at the Miami Cancer Institute, Baptist Health South Florida from May 2023 to March 2025. Primary endpoints were safety, assessed by adverse events related to robotic guidance or ablation, and accuracy, defined by the need for minor (depth/lateral) or major (antenna removal and reinsertion) adjustments. Secondary endpoints included feasibility, technical success, local tumor progression (LTP), LTP-free survival (LTPFS), and local control (LC). A total of 153 robot-assisted antenna placements were performed to treat 152 tumors in 78 patients. Robotic placement was feasible in 98.7% (77/78) of patients. Technical success was achieved in 96.8% (152/157) of trajectories. Among all trajectories, 18.5% (29/157) required no adjustment, 62.4% (98/157) required minor depth adjustment, 17.8% (28/157) required minor lateral adjustment, and 3.2% (5/157) required major adjustment. Of major adjustments, 4 were corrected with robotic reinsertion, and 1 was corrected manually. Mean preadjustment lateral deviation was 5.6 mm (SD ±3.9). Adverse events occurred in 14.1% (11 Grade 1, 2 Grade 2, and 1 Grade 3) of procedures, none directly related to robotic guidance. Median follow-up was 6.9 months. The 6-month LTPFS per tumor for patients treated in the first versus second year was 87.1% versus 94.9%, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.385; 95% confidence interval, 0.083-1.771; P = .220). Robotic guidance for liver MWA demonstrated high feasibility, excellent technical success, and low placement error with no robot-related complications, supporting its safety and accuracy in clinical practice.

Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) has emerged as a safe and effective nonsurgical treatment option for benign thyroid nodules (BTN), with ongoing debate regarding the comparative performance of cooled (cMWA) and uncooled (uMWA) MWA systems. This study aims to address this debate by comparing the safety and efficacy of cMWA and uMWA and to confirm the effectiveness of both systems in the treatment of BTN. Data from 73 patients who underwent MWA treatment for BTN between September 2019 and May 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. A total of 24 patients [mean age: 43.87 ± 9.5 years; 15 females (62.5%)] with solid or predominantly solid nodules, who received a single session of cMWA (n = 12) or uMWA (n = 12), were included. Nodule volume reduction, cosmetic scores, clinical symptoms, side effects, and complications were recorded. Nodule volumes significantly decreased at the third and sixth month follow-ups, with similar volume reduction ratios between cMWA and uMWA (60.30 ± 8 vs 57.29 ± 8.2 at 3 mo and 78.03 ± 6 vs 77.55 ± 10 at 6 mo). Energy power and ablation duration differed significantly between groups (uMWA: 15 watts, 26.92 ± 4.9min vs cMWA: 30 watts, 14.77 ± 4.79min). One major and 2 minor complications (nodule rupture and superficial hematoma) occurred only in the cMWA group. Cosmetic concerns and pressure symptoms improved in both groups during follow-up. uMWA provided similar volume reduction to cooled systems and demonstrated a favorable safety profile. However, observed differences in complications require cautious interpretation because of the limited sample size and the inherent difference in power settings.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with surgically inoperable cases posing a significant clinical challenge. Although microwave ablation (MWA) is a viable treatment option for non-surgical patients, its effectiveness is often compromised by substantial complications and inadequate prevention of tumor recurrence or progression. To address these limitations, we developed a multifunctional hydrogel system (aPD1@Cur-Mg/GH) that integrates antitumor immunomodulation with pleural sealing capabilities. This hydrogel combines a gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA)/o-nitrobenzyl alcohol-modified hyaluronate (HANB) matrix (GH) with an aPD1-loaded curcumin-embedded magnesium-polyphenol network (Cur-Mg/aPD1). By utilizing the photocrosslinking properties of GelMA and HANB, the aPD1@Cur-Mg/GH hydrogel forms a robust, adhesive, and compression-resistant structure that is ideal for pleural sealing and tissue repair. Upon degradation, the hydrogel releases Mg2 + ions and curcumin, which promote M1 macrophage polarization and enhance CD8+ T cell infiltration, thereby synergizing with MWA to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Our findings demonstrate that this dual-functional hydrogel significantly modulates the post-ablation tumor immune microenvironment and presents a promising strategy for enhancing lung cancer immunotherapy following MWA.