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Ultrasound-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation Using a New Electrode with an Electromagnetic Position Sensor for Hepatic Tumors Difficult to Place an Electrode: A Preliminary Clinical Study

  • Clinical Investigation
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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate whether a new electrode embedded with an electromagnetic position sensor (EMPS) improves the technical feasibility of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in patients with hepatic tumors difficult to place an electrode under ultrasonography (US) guidance and to assess short-term therapeutic efficacy and safety.

Materials and Methods

This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board, and written informed consent was obtained from all patients. Between January 2015 and December 2016, 10 patients (7 men and 3 women; age range 52–75 years) with a single hepatic tumor (median 1.4 cm; range 1.1–1.8 cm) difficult to place an electrode under US guidance were enrolled. The technical feasibility of targeting and overlapping ablation during the RFA procedure was graded using a four-point scale and analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test according to the use of EMPS. In addition, the rates of technical success, local tumor progression (LTP), and major complications were assessed.

Results

The use of the new RF electrode with EMPS significantly improved the technical feasibility of targeting and overlapping ablation (p = 0.002 and p = 0.003, respectively). After treatment, the technical success rate was 100%. LTP was not found in any patient during the follow-up period (median 8 months; range 4–22 months). No major procedure-related complications occurred.

Conclusions

The technical feasibility of percutaneous RFA improves with the use of this RF electrode embedded with an EMPS. Short-term therapeutic efficacy and safety after RFA using the electrode were promising in patients with hepatic tumors difficult to place an electrode under US guidance.

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Abbreviations

CT:

Computed tomography

EM:

Electromagnetic

EMPS:

Electromagnetic position sensor

HCC:

Hepatocellular carcinoma

LTP:

Local tumor progression

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

RFA:

Radiofrequency ablation

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mr. Joon Hyok Lee (STARmed, Goyang, South Korea) for his technical assistance.

Financial Support

Financial support and the investigational RF ablation device for this study were provided by STARmed (Goyang, Korea). However, the authors had complete control of the data and information submitted for publication, which was unbiased by the industry.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology and Center for Imaging Science, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Tae Wook Kang, Min Woo Lee, Kyoung Doo Song, Hyunchul Rhim & Hyo Keun Lim

  2. Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Min Woo Lee, Hyunchul Rhim & Hyo Keun Lim

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Wonseok Kang

  4. Statistics and Data Center, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Kyunga Kim

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  1. Tae Wook Kang
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  2. Min Woo Lee
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  4. Hyunchul Rhim
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Correspondence to Min Woo Lee.

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The authors do not have any conflicts of interest to declare.

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Kang, T.W., Lee, M.W., Song, K.D. et al. Ultrasound-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation Using a New Electrode with an Electromagnetic Position Sensor for Hepatic Tumors Difficult to Place an Electrode: A Preliminary Clinical Study. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 40, 1891–1898 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-017-1751-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-017-1751-9

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