INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY WITH LASER IN BONE AND JOINT

Laser energy is able to ablate, coagulate, and vaporize tissues. Its t ransmissibility in thin optical fibers makes it an ideal tool for use in percutaneous procedures. This article describes two applications in interventional musculoskeletal radiology. In percutaneous laser disc decompression the laser source is used to vaporize a small portion of the nucleus pulposus. In interstitial laser photocoagulation of osteoi d osteoma the laser energy is used to coagulate and destroy the tumor by direct heating.