ULTRASOUND-GUIDED MICROWAVE THERMOTHERAPY ON A VX-2 CARCINOMA IMPLANTED IN RABBIT KIDNEY

A temperature greater than 60 degrees C was maintained for 60 s within a 5-mm radius of a microwave electrode implanted in a rabbit kidney u sing 2450 MHz at 100 W for 30 s, Histological examination revealed com plete coagulation necrosis in that area, VX-2 cells were inoculated in to the kidneys of 10 rabbits, One week later, five rabbits received ul trasound-guided microwave thermotherapy, and the remaining five rabbit s received no treatment, All rabbits with microwave thermotherapy had a complete response to treatment while all rabbits without therapy die d of cancer within 6 weeks of the VX-2 implantation. These results ind icate that ultrasound-guided microwave thermotherapy has the potential of being a nephron-salvaging treatment for small renal tumors.