RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION OF BRAIN-TUMORS USING MR GUIDANCE

MR-guided stereotactic thermal ablation was developed as a minimally i nvasive brain tumour treatment. Eighteen primary or metastatic brain t umours were treated in 15 patients. The entire procedure was performed under local anaesthesia in an MR suite, The outcome was analysed with 13-30 months of clinical follow-up, Local control was achieved in nin e tumours in eight patients. Among them four patients with five tumour s were disease-free for more than 22 months after the treatment. four patients died from systemic disease or primary cancer while metastatic brain tumours were locally controlled. Local recurrence was seen in h ypervascular metastatic tumours and a glioblastoma multiforme. For met astatic and primary brain tumours, MR provides not only accurate local ization of brain tumour but also near real time thermal monitoring of acute tissue changes, This immediate imaging feedback facilitates safe and complete coagulation of the brain tumour. Based on our limited sa mple experiences, it is hoped that relatively long-term local control can be obtained in non-hypervascular metastases. MR-guided stereotacti c RF thermal ablation is an attractive and promising technique, offeri ng a potential treatment alternative for patients with previously trea ted brain tumour or systemic illness preventing other more conventiona l therapies.