Nonthermal Irreversible Electroporation Research Articles

Pulsed Field Ablation for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation: A Review and a Look into its Future

Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a novel technology to treat atrial fibrillation (AF) utilizing electric fields to induce nonthermal irreversible electroporation of electrically active cardiac tissue to induce cardiac cell death. PFA offers improved safety benefits compared to traditional radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryoablation by specifically ablating only cardiac tissue. However, there are avenues for further optimization including neurological risk associated with microbubble formation and left atrial function post ablation. Various PFA devices with different electric pulse waveforms have been studied and tested in human trials, with the majority utilizing microsecond duration pulses. Shorter nanosecond duration pulses, or nanosecond PFA, is beginning to be studied for AF ablation. In this review we will delve into current waveforms used for PFA, areas for improvement, mechanisms behind nanosecond PFA, and its clinical impact for cardiac ablation.

New Surgical Approach to Treat Fibroids and Solid Tumors - Thermal and Nonthermal Ablation.

There is a trend toward more minimally invasive treatment for symptomatic uterine fibroids. They are image-guided ablation surgery with focused ultrasound, microwave, and radiofrequency ablations that are becoming tested and used in some medical centers or hospitals. Nevertheless, these image-guided ablation surgeries involve thermal ablation to the fibroids, which might lead to thermal injury to the surrounding tissues, for example, nerve injury, vessel injury, and skin burn due to heat diffusion. A new technology - irreversible electroporation (IRE) - is a new paradigm for treating solid tumors. This nonthermal ablation process does not induce high temperatures when treating cancers or solid tumors. The IRE treatment may soon be used for treating fibroids or other solid tumors. In a few clinical trials, IRE is currently used in experimental studies for treating gynecological cancers. This paper will present the minimally invasive thermal ablation treatments for fibroids, introduce this new nonthermal IRE ablation in treating gynecological cancer, and propose its future uses in uterine fibroids.

Assessment of efficacy and safety of advanced endoscopic irreversible electroporation catheter in the esophagus

Nonthermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) is emerging as a promising tissue ablation technique. However, maintaining irreversible electroporation (IRE) electrodes against displacement during strong esophageal spasms remains an obstacle. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of newly designed balloon-type endoscopic IRE catheters. Six pigs were randomly allocated to each catheter group, and each pig was subjected to four ablations at alternating voltages of 1500 V and 2000 V. Esophagogastroscopy was performed during the IRE. The ability of balloon-type catheters to execute complete IRE with 40 pulses was assessed. The success rate was higher for the balloon-type catheter than that for the basket-type (12/12 [100%] vs. 2/12 [16.7%], p < 0.001). Following gross inspection and histologic analysis of the 1500-V vs. 2000-V balloon-type catheter revealed a larger mucosal damage area (105.3 mm2 vs. 140.8 mm2, p = 0.004) and greater damage depth (476 μm vs. 900 μm, p = 0.02). Histopathology of the ablated tissue revealed separated epithelium, inflamed lamina propria, congested muscularis mucosa, necrotized submucosa, and disorganized muscularis propria. Balloon-type catheters demonstrated efficacy, achieving full electrical pulse sequences under NTIRE conditions, and a safe histological profile below 2000 V (1274 V/cm). Optimal electrical conditions and electrode arrays pose ongoing challenges.

Pulsed Field Ablation for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation: PULSED AF Pivotal Trial.

BACKGROUND: Pulsed field ablation uses electrical pulses to cause nonthermal irreversible electroporation and induce cardiac cell death. Pulsed field ablation may have effectiveness comparable to traditional catheter ablation while preventing thermally mediated complications. METHODS: The PULSED AF pivotal study (Pulsed Field Ablation to Irreversibly Electroporate Tissue and Treat AF) was a prospective, global, multicenter, nonrandomized, paired single-arm study in which patients with paroxysmal (n=150) or persistent (n=150) symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) refractory to class I or III antiarrhythmic drugs were treated with pulsed field ablation. All patients were monitored for 1 year using weekly and symptomatic transtelephonic monitoring; 3-, 6-, and 12-month ECGs; and 6- and 12-month 24-hour Holter monitoring. The primary effectiveness end point was freedom from a composite of acute procedural failure, arrhythmia recurrence, or antiarrhythmic escalation through 12 months, excluding a 3-month blanking period to allow recovery from the procedure. The primary safety end point was freedom from a composite of serious procedure- and device-related adverse events. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to evaluate the primary end points. RESULTS: Pulsed field ablation was shown to be effective at 1 year in 66.2% (95% CI, 57.9 to 73.2) of patients with paroxysmal AF and 55.1% (95% CI, 46.7 to 62.7) of patients with persistent AF. The primary safety end point occurred in 1 patient (0.7%; 95% CI, 0.1 to 4.6) in both the paroxysmal and persistent AF cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: PULSED AF demonstrated a low rate of primary safety adverse events (0.7%) and provided effectiveness consistent with established ablation technologies using a novel irreversible electroporation energy to treat patients with AF.

Pancreatic islets implanted in an irreversible electroporation generated extracellular matrix in the liver.

Pancreatic islet transplantation via infusion through the portal vein, has become an established clinical treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes. Because the engraftment efficiency is low, new approaches for pancreatic islets implantation are sought. The goal of this study is to explore the possibility that a non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) decellularized matrix in the liver could be used as an engraftment site for pancreatic islets. Pancreatic islets or saline controls were injected at sites pre-treated with NTIRE in the livers of 7 rats, 16 hours after NTIRE treatment. Seven days after the NTIRE treatment, islet graft function was assessed by detecting insulin and glucagon in the liver with immunohistochemistry. Pancreatic islets implanted into a NTIRE-treated volume of liver became incorporated into the liver parenchyma and produced insulin and glucagon in 2 of the 7 rat livers. Potential reasons for the failure to observe pancreatic islets in the remaining 5/7 rats may include local inflammatory reaction, graft rejection, low numbers of starting islets, timing of implantation. This study shows that pancreatic islets can become incorporated and function in an NTIRE-generated extracellular matrix niche, albeit the success rate is low. Advances in the field could be achieved by developing a better understanding of the mechanisms of failure and ways to combat these mechanisms.

Ultra-microhistological study of nonthermal irreversible electroporation on the esophagus

Esophageal ulceration and even fistula are severe complications of pulmonary vein isolation using traditional thermal ablation. Nonthermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) is a new technique for pulmonary vein isolation in patients with atrial fibrillation. NTIRE has been shown to be a safe method for pulsed electroporation near the esophagus. NTIRE preserves the structural framework of the esophagus and allows for rapid recovery of the whole layers of the esophagus. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the ultrastructural changes and cytological mechanisms of cell regeneration and tissue repair after esophageal electroporation. The parameter combination of 2000 V/cm multiplied by 90-pulse output was directly applied to the esophagus in 60 New Zealand rabbits, and ultrastructure analysis of the esophagus was implemented subsequently. NTIRE predominantly triggered apoptosis of esophageal cells shortly after electroporation. Since the tissue structural framework was preserved, esophageal cells could regenerate through self-replication within 4 weeks. Complete anatomical repair can eventually be achieved through structural remodeling, and no lumen stenosis, ulcer, or fistula was observed in the ablated segment. Monophasic, bipolar NTIRE pulses delivered using plate electrodes in an esophageal model demonstrates no irreversible ultra-micropathological changes to the esophagus after 4 weeks.

Modification of a Ready-Made High-Voltage Pulse Generator for Non-Thermal Irreversible Electroporation.

We present an inexpensive device for non-thermal irreversible electroporation (IRE) manufactured by upgrading an industrial high-voltage pulse generator. In addition to the generator, the experimental hardware-and-software complex (IRE system) contains a microprocessor and a temperature sensor, which enables automatic control the pulse frequency in accordance with the temperature of the object. The IRE system was tested in in vitro and in vivo experiments: effective and safe non-thermal IRE was demonstrated. The developed system is easily reproducible and can be especially useful for demonstration experiments, pioneering research, as well as for teaching the basics of IRE.

Non-thermal Electroporation Ablation of Epileptogenic Zones Stops Seizures in Mice While Providing Reduced Vascular Damage and Accelerated Tissue Recovery.

In epilepsy, the most frequent surgical procedure is the resection of brain tissue in the temporal lobe, with seizure-free outcomes in approximately two-thirds of cases. However, consequences of surgery can vary strongly depending on the brain region targeted for removal, as surgical morbidity and collateral damage can lead to significant complications, particularly when bleeding and swelling are located near delicate functional cortical regions. Although focal thermal ablations are well-explored in epilepsy as a minimally invasive approach, hemorrhage and edema can be a consequence as the blood-brain barrier is still disrupted. Non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE), common in many other medical tissue ablations outside the brain, is a relatively unexplored method for the ablation of neural tissue, and has never been reported as a means for ablation of brain tissue in the context of epilepsy. Here, we present a detailed visualization of non-thermal ablation of neural tissue in mice and report that NTIRE successfully ablates epileptic foci in mice, resulting in seizure-freedom, while causing significantly less hemorrhage and edema compared to conventional thermal ablation. The NTIRE approach to ablation preserves the blood-brain barrier while pathological circuits in the same region are destroyed. Additionally, we see the reinnervation of fibers into ablated brain regions from neighboring areas as early as day 3 after ablation. Our evidence demonstrates that NTIRE could be utilized as a precise tool for the ablation of surgically challenging epileptogenic zones in patients where the risk of complications and hemorrhage is high, allowing not only reduced tissue damage but potentially accelerated recovery as vessels and extracellular matrix remain intact at the point of ablation.

Nonthermal Irreversible Electroporation to the Esophagus: Evaluation of Acute and Long-Term Pathological Effects in a Rabbit Model.

BackgroundEsophageal ulceration and fistula are severe complications of pulmonary vein isolation using thermal ablation. Nonthermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) is a promising new technology for pulmonary vein isolation in patients with atrial fibrillation. NTIRE ablation technology has been used to treat atrial fibrillation; however, the effects of NTIRE on esophageal tissue have not been clearly described.Methods and ResultsA typical NTIRE electrical protocol was directly applied to esophagi in 84 New Zealand rabbits. Finite element modeling and histological analysis with 120 slices were used to analyze electric field intensity distribution and subsequent tissue changes. A parameter combination of 2000 V/cm multiplied by 90 pulses output is determined to be an effective ablation parameters combination. Within 16 weeks after ablation, no obvious lumen stenosis, epithelial erythema, erosion, ulcer, or fistula was observed in the esophageal tissue. NTIRE effectively results in esophageal cell ablation to death, and subsequently, signs of recovery gradually appear: creeping replacement and regeneration of epithelial basal cells, repair and regeneration of muscle cells, structural remodeling of the muscle layer, and finally the restoration of clear anatomical structures in all layers.ConclusionsMonophasic, bipolar NTIRE delivered using plate electrodes in a novel esophageal injury model demonstrates no histopathologic changes to the esophagus at 16 weeks. Data of this study suggest that electroporation ablation is a safe modality for pulsed electroporation ablation near the esophagus.

Control of High Voltage Pulse Generator Based on Arduino and Its Peripheral Sensors for Cell Irreversible Electroporation Test

A project of control of a high voltage pulse generator based on Arduino and its peripheral pulse sensor and temperature sensor was proposed for cell irreversible electroporation (IRE) test. By programming Arduino board, the analog photoelectric signal and the partial voltage signal of thermistor collected by pulse and temperature sensors were converted into digital signal and temperature value. The threshold of ECG R wave (>550) and temperature threshold (<37 oC) was set as trigger condition to control an 800 W high voltage pulse generator to release a fixed period pulse. Human lung cancer cells cultured in vitro were used to test and verify, and cell staining was used to evaluate the perforation. The results showed that Arduino and its sensors were sensitive to trigger and feedback. When the high voltage pulse generator was controlled to release 100 pulses with the parameters of 600 V, 1 200 V/cm and 100 ms pulse width, more than 95% of the cells showed nonthermal irreversible electroporation.

Irreversible electroporation stimulates a pro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer

Abstract Pancreatic cancer is a major cancer with a survival rate of only 6% due to late diagnosis and the aggressiveness of the malignancy. There is also a severe lack of viable treatment options due to the localization of the primary tumor near major blood vessels and bile ducts as well as the highly immunosuppressive nature and metastatic potential of pancreatic cancer. New ablative techniques for pancreatic tumors are being developed; however most are thermal and can cause damage to the delicate surrounding structures. Non-thermal irreversible electroporation (IRE) uses short, high frequency electrical pulses to permeabilize cancer cell membranes and illicit cell death. IRE has shown promising results in clinical trials of late-stage, locally advanced cases. Here we utilize several models of pancreatic cancer in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo to determine the effect of IRE on cell death pathways, cancer pathways, and immune signaling. IRE elicits pro-inflammatory cell death via necrosis and pyroptosis in immunocompetent murine and human patient-derived xenograft models. This pro-inflammatory environment can stimulate immune cell infiltration to the tumor site, halting tumor progression. Moreover, a non-thermal ablative approach also preserves cancer cell antigens that can lead to better immunosurveillance against reoccurrence and metastatic lesions. With the advent of these new techniques, the impact of such technologies to the tumor microenvironment and immune system need to be assessed to determine their clinical application. IRE is proving to be a safe and effective treatment for pancreatic cancer as it not only ablates the primary tumor site but also stimulates the immune system to recognize and combat the tumor throughout the body.

A Study on Nonthermal Irreversible Electroporation of the Thyroid.

Background:Nonthermal irreversible electroporation is a minimally invasive surgery technology that employs high and brief electric fields to ablate undesirable tissues. Nonthermal irreversible electroporation can ablate only cells while preserving intact functional properties of the extracellular structures. Therefore, nonthermal irreversible electroporation can be used to ablate tissues safely near large blood vessels, the esophagus, or nerves. This suggests that it could be used for thyroid ablation abutting the esophagus. This study examines the feasibility of using nonthermal irreversible electroporation for thyroid ablation.Methods:Rats were used to evaluate the effects of nonthermal irreversible electroporation on the thyroid. The procedure entails the delivery of high electric field pulses (1-3 kV/cm, 100 microseconds) between 2 surface electrodes bracing the thyroid. The right lobe was treated with various nonthermal irreversible electroporation pulse sequences, and the left was the control. After 24 hours of the nonthermal irreversible electroporation treatment, the thyroid was examined with hemotoxylin and eosin histological analysis. Mathematical models of electric fields and the Joule heating-induced temperature raise in the thyroid were developed to examine the experimental results.Results:Treatment with nonthermal irreversible electroporation leads to follicular cells damage, associated with cell swelling, inflammatory cell infiltration, and cell ablation. Nonthermal irreversible electroporation spares the trachea structure. Unusually high electric fields, for these types of tissue, 3000 V/cm, are needed for thyroid ablation. The mathematical model suggests that this may be related to the heterogeneous structure of the thyroid-induced distortion of local electric fields. Moreover, most of the tissue does not experience thermal damage inducing temperature elevation. However, the heterogeneous structure of the thyroid may cause local hot spots with the potential for local thermal damage.Conclusion:Nonthermal irreversible electroporation with 3000 V/cm can be used for thyroid ablation. Possible applications are treatment of hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer. The highly heterogeneous structure of the thyroid distorts the electric fields and temperature distribution in the thyroid must be considered when designing treatment protocols for this tissue type.

Cancer Treatments of the Irreversible Electroporation

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a kind of non-thermal tumor treatment strategy. Based on this, Nanoknife emerged, which is approved by FDA in 2011. From then on, clinical application of nanosecond electrical pulsed have showed an explosive growth. At the cell level, the biophysical mechanism of nonthermal irreversible electroporation of electrical pulsed was studied. At the animal level, it has studied the safety of irreversible electroporation and preclinical animal experiments, also the clinical application of irreversible electroporation. We reviewed Animal studies of IRE and Clinical application of IRE. Also traditional medical imaging methods such as CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultra-sound imaging can be used in the IRE therapy. The evidences can prove the beneficial effects and safety of IRE in tumor treatment and verify the potential of IRE in clinical treatment to some extent. However, larger clinical trials are still needed to confirm these conclusions. Hopefully, as we go deeper into IRE, we get a more thorough understanding of it and the application will appear in various fields.

Molecular and histological study on the effects of non-thermal irreversible electroporation on the liver

Non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) is a biophysical phenomenon in which certain electric fields delivered across the cell membrane in tissue, cause cell death, without affecting the extracellular matrix. “Minimally invasive regenerative surgery” is a new medical modality for treatment of end-stage organ or tissue failure in which exogenous cells are implanted in a decellularized niche in tissue, formed by the delivery of NTIRE electric fields across a targeted volume of tissue. We anticipate that the success of the procedure will depend on the time of implantation relative to the application of NTIRE. This study was performed to elucidate the histological and molecular events that occur within 24 h after NTIRE, in the context of optimal criteria for the time of implantation. To this end, we examined the histology of NTIRE treated rat liver with H&E, Masson trichrome and TUNEL staining. Western blot was used to examine pro and cleaved caspase-3 (marker for apoptosis), pro and cleaved caspase-1 and gasdermin D (markers for pyroptosis), and RIP3 and MLKL (markers for necroptosis). The key findings are that, complete hepatocytes disintegration within an intact extracellular matrix is seen at 6 h and, new hepatocytes are seen in the treated region at 24 h, after NTIRE. There is no evidence of apoptotic cell death from NTIRE, contrary to commonly made claims in the NTIRE literature. However, molecular pathways of pyroptosis and necroptosis, programed necrosis associated with inflammation, are activated at 6 h after NTIRE and are not evident at 24 h after NTIRE. These are fundamental new findings of basic value to the field of NTIRE in all its applications. Taken together the results suggest the hypothesis that an optimal time for implantation is about 24 h after NTIRE. Future studies in which exogenous cells are implanted at different times after NTIRE are required to examine this hypothesis.

Decellularizing Vaginal Scaffolds Using Non-thermal Irreversible Electroporation of Vaginal Tissue – A Step Toward Improving Vaginal Tissue Grafts

Decellularizing Vaginal Scaffolds Using Non-thermal Irreversible Electroporation of Vaginal Tissue – A Step Toward Improving Vaginal Tissue Grafts

Using non-thermal irreversible electroporation to create an in vivo niche for exogenous cell engraftment.

The critical shortage of donor organs has spurred investigation of alternative approaches to either generate replacement organs or implant exogenous cells for treatment of end-stage organ failure. Non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE), which uses brief high electric field pulses to induce irreversible permeabilization of cell membranes, has emerged as a technique for tumor ablation. Here, we introduce a new application for NTIRE that employs in situ cell ablation to create a niche within a solid organ for engraftment of exogenous cells in vivo. We treated the livers of mice with NTIRE and subsequently implanted exogenous congenic hepatocytes within the zone of cell ablation. Donor hepatocytes engrafted and integrated with host liver parenchyma pre-treated with NTIRE. This new approach should have value for studying the effects of a native matrix scaffold on in vivo cell growth and may pioneer a new type of minimally-invasive regenerative surgery.

Miniaturized two-stack Blumlein pulser with a variable repetition-rate for non-thermal irreversible-electroporation experiments.

Non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) to avoid thermal damage to cells during intense DC ns pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) is a recent modality for medical applications. This mechanism, related to bioelectrical dynamics of the cell, is linked to the effect of a DC electric field and a threshold effect with an electrically stimulated membrane for the charge distribution in the cell. To create the NTIRE condition, the pulse width of the nsPEF should be shorter than the charging time constant of the membrane related to the cell radius, membrane capacitance, cytoplasm resistivity, and medium resistivity. It is necessary to design and fabricate a very intense nanosecond DC electric field pulser that is capable of producing voltages up to the level of 100 kV/cm with an artificial pulse width (∼ns) with controllable repetition rates. Many devices to generate intense DC nsPEF using various pulse-forming line technologies have been introduced thus far. However, the previous Blumlein pulse-generating devices are clearly inefficient due to the energy loss between the input voltage and the output voltage. An improved two-stage stacked Blumlein pulse-forming line can overcome this limitation and decrease the energy loss from a DC power supply. A metal oxide silicon field-effect transistor switch with a fast rise and fall time would enable a high repetition rate (max. 100 kHz) and good endurance against very high voltages (DC ∼ 30 kV). The load is designed to match the sample for exposure to cell suspensions consisting of a 200 Ω resistor matched with a Blumlein circuit and two electrodes without the characteristic RC time effect of the circuit (capacitance =0.174 pF).

Production of Spherical Ablations Using Nonthermal Irreversible Electroporation: A Laboratory Investigation Using a Single Electrode and Grounding Pad

PurposeTo mathematically model and test ex vivo a modified technique of irreversible electroporation (IRE) to produce large spherical ablations by using a single probe. Materials and MethodsComputed simulations were performed by using varying voltages, electrode exposure lengths, and tissue types. A vegetable (potato) tissue model was then used to compare ablations created by conventional and high-frequency IRE protocols by using 2 probe configurations: a single probe with two collinear electrodes (2EP) or a single electrode configured with a grounding pad (P+GP). The new P+GP electrode configuration was evaluated in ex vivo liver tissue. ResultsThe P+GP configuration produced more spherical ablation volumes than the 2EP configuration in computed simulations and tissue models. In prostate tissue, computed simulations predicted ablation volumes at 3,000 V of 1.6 cm3 for the P+GP configurations, compared with 0.94 cm3 for the 2EP configuration; in liver tissue, the predicted ablation volumes were 4.7 times larger than those in the prostate. Vegetable model studies verify that the P+GP configuration produces larger and more spherical ablations than those produced by the 2EP. High-frequency IRE treatment of ex vivo liver with the P+GP configuration created a 2.84 × 2.21-cm ablation zone. ConclusionsComputer modeling showed that P+GP configuration for IRE procedures yields ablations that are larger than the 2EP configuration, creating substantial ablation zones with a single electrode placement. When tested in tissue models and an ex vivo liver model, the P+GP configuration created ablation zones that appear to be of clinically relevant size and shape.

Electrolytic Effects During Tissue Ablation by Electroporation

Nonthermal irreversible electroporation is a new tissue ablation technique that consists of applying pulsed electric fields across cells to induce cell death by creating permanent defects in the cell membrane. Nonthermal irreversible electroporation is of interest because it allows treatment near sensitive tissue structures such as blood vessels and nerves. Two recent articles report that electrolytic reaction products at electrodes can be combined with electroporation pulses to augment and optimize tissue ablation. Those articles triggered a concern that the results of earlier studies on nonthermal irreversible electroporation may have been tainted by unaccounted for electrolytic effects. The goal of this study was to reexamine previous studies on nonthermal irreversible electroporation in the context of these articles. The study shows that the results from some of the earlier studies on nonthermal irreversible electroporation were affected by unaccounted for electrolysis, in particular the research with cells in cuvettes. It also shows that tissue ablation ascribed in the past to irreversible electroporation is actually caused by at least 3 different cytotoxic effects: irreversible electroporation without electrolysis, irreversible electroporation combined with electrolysis, and reversible electroporation combined with electrolysis. These different mechanisms may affect cell and tissue ablation in different ways, and the effects may depend on various clinical parameters such as the polarity of the electrodes, the charge delivered (voltage, number, and length of pulses), and the distance of the target tissue from the electrodes. Current clinical protocols employ ever-increasing numbers of electroporation pulses to values that are now an order of magnitude larger than those used in our first fundamental nonthermal irreversible electroporation studies in tissues. The different mechanisms of cell death, and the effect of the clinical parameters on the mechanisms may explain discrepancies between results of different clinical studies and should be taken into consideration in the design of optimal electroporation ablation protocols.

Irreversible Electroporation (IRE): Standardization of Terminology and Reporting Criteria for Analysis and Comparison.

SummaryBackgroundIrreversible electroporation (IRE) as newer ablation modality has been introduced and its clinical niche is under investigation. At present just one IRE system has been approved for clinical use and is currently commercially available (NanoKnife® system). In 2014, the International Working Group on Image-Guided Tumor Ablation updated the recommendation about standardization of terms and reporting criteria for image-guided tumor ablation. The IRE method is not covered in detail. But the non-thermal IRE method and the NanoKnife System differ fundamentally from established ablations techniques, especially thermal approaches, e.g. radio frequency ablation (RFA).Material/MethodsAs numerous publications on IRE with varying terminology exist so far – with numbers continuously increasing – standardized terms and reporting criteria of IRE are needed urgently. The use of standardized terminology may then allow for a better inter-study comparison of the methodology applied as well as results achieved.ResultsThus, the main objective of this document is to supplement the updated recommendation for image-guided tumor ablation by outlining a standardized set of terminology for the IRE procedure with the NanoKnife Sytem as well as address essential clinical and technical informations that should be provided when reporting on IRE tumor ablation.ConclusionsWe emphasize that the usage of all above recommended reporting criteria and terms can make IRE ablation reports comparable and provide treatment transparency to assess the current value of IRE and provide further development.