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Semin intervent Radiol 2019; 36(05): 398-404
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1697945
Review Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Radiofrequency Ablation, Where It Stands in Interventional Radiology Today

Vipulkumar Patel
1   Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
,
Charles A. Ritchie
1   Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
,
Carlos Padula
1   Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
,
J. Mark McKinney
1   Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
02 December 2019 (online)

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Abstract

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is one of the first developed minimally invasive definitive cancer therapies. The safety and efficacy of RFA is well documented and has led to its incorporation into multiple international societal guidelines. By expanding on the body of knowledge acquired during the clinical use of RFA, alternative ablative technologies have emerged and are successfully competing for locoregional therapy market share. The adaption of newer ablative technologies is leading to a rapid decline in the utilization of RFA by interventional radiologists despite the lack of proven superiority. In their 2010 article, Hong and Georgiades stated “… RFA is likely to remain the mainstay of ablations for small tumors until sufficient experience emerges for the widespread acceptance for alternative ablative modalities.” Within a decade of this publication, has this time arrived?

Keywords

radiofrequency ablation - cancer - microwave ablation - cryoablation
 

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