MR-GUIDED LASER-INDUCED THERMOTHERAPY OF TUMORS OF THE HEAD AND NECK REGION - FIRST CLINICAL-RESULTS

Purpose: To analyse the value of MR-guided laser-in duced thermotherap y (LITT) for palliative treatment of recurrent tumours of the head and neck region. Material and methods: 8 patients with recurrent tumours of the head and neck region (squamous cell carcinomas n = 6, pleomorph ic adenomas n = 2) underwent MR-controlled LITT. A 7 French laser appl icator was inserted under local anaesthesia into the centre of the rec urrent tumour. A Nd:YAG laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm was used. T herapy was monitored on-line using special MR thermosequences. Results : Preinterventional contrast-enhanced MRI revealed a recurrent tumour of the head and neck region for all eight patients. All patients toler ated the procedures well under local anaesthesia, with no clinically r elevant side effects. The MR thermosequences depicted up to 15 mm diam eter areas of less signal near the laser tip. Postinterventional contr ast-enhanced MRI revealed hypovascularised areas due to the resulting coagulative necrosis. Coagulative necrosis of 4 cc to 28 cc occurred i n all patients, and a reduction of clinical symptoms was achieved in f ive. Conclusion: The results obtained indicate that minimal invasive L ITT can be a therapeutic alternative for palliative treatment of head and neck tumours.