Download PDF
Digestive Disease Interventions 2020; 04(03): 303-310
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1716737
Review Article

Gel Phantom Models for Radiofrequency and Microwave Ablation of the Liver

Willa J. Chen 
1   Division of Interventional Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
,
Qi Wang
2   Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People's Republic of China
,
Charles Y. Kim 
1   Division of Interventional Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
› Author Affiliations Funding National Cancer Institute, http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000054, 5R03CA191978, Dr. Charles Kim.
RSNA Research and Education Foundation, http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100005625, Dr. Charles Kim.
› Further Information
Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Heat-based percutaneous thermal ablation techniques have emerged as popular and effective treatments for liver cancer. As the technology continues to evolve, there is a need for optimized methods for experimentation to identify advantageous modifications and developments. Given that assessing and comparing resulting ablation zones in animal models are costly and resource-intensive, in vitro gel phantom models can serve an important role for early-stage experimentation. There exist several gel phantom recipes that have been reported in the literature. In this review, we will review the various recipes, the pros and cons to the existing models, and future potential directions.

Keywords

gel phantom - radiofrequency ablation - microwave ablation


Publication History

Received: 15 July 2020

Accepted: 23 July 2020

Article published online:
28 September 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Thieme Medical Publishers
333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

 

  • References

  • 1 Krokidis MHA. Ablative techniques for image-guided thermal ablation. Digestive Disease Interventions. 2019; 3 (02) 93-97
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Raman SS, Lu DS, Vodopich DJ, Sayre J, Lassman C. Creation of radiofrequency lesions in a porcine model: correlation with sonography, CT, and histopathology. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2000; 175 (05) 1253-1258
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Leyendecker JR, Dodd III GD, Halff GA. et al. Sonographically observed echogenic response during intraoperative radiofrequency ablation of cirrhotic livers: pathologic correlation. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2002; 178 (05) 1147-1151
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Liu D, Brace CL. Evaluation of tissue deformation during radiofrequency and microwave ablation procedures: influence of output energy delivery. Med Phys 2019; 46 (09) 4127-4134
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Puza CJ, Wang Q, Kim CY. Evaluation of the heat sink effect after transarterial embolization when performed in combination with thermal ablation of the liver in a Rabbit Model. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 2018; 41 (11) 1773-1778
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Burdío F, Navarro A, Sousa R. et al. Evolving technology in bipolar perfused radiofrequency ablation: assessment of efficacy, predictability and safety in a pig liver model. Eur Radiol 2006; 16 (08) 1826-1834
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 de Baere T, Denys A, Wood BJ. et al. Radiofrequency liver ablation: experimental comparative study of water-cooled versus expandable systems. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2001; 176 (01) 187-192
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Dabbagh A, Abdullah BJ, Ramasindarum C, Abu Kasim NH. Tissue-mimicking gel phantoms for thermal therapy studies. Ultrason Imaging 2014; 36 (04) 291-316
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Boll DT, Lewin JS, Duerk JL, Merkle EM. Do surgical clips interfere with radiofrequency thermal ablation?. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2003; 180 (06) 1557-1560
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Goldberg SN, Ahmed M, Gazelle GS. et al. Radio-frequency thermal ablation with NaCl solution injection: effect of electrical conductivity on tissue heating and coagulation-phantom and porcine liver study. Radiology 2001; 219 (01) 157-165
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Solazzo SA, Liu Z, Lobo SM. et al. Radiofrequency ablation: importance of background tissue electrical conductivity—an agar phantom and computer modeling study. Radiology 2005; 236 (02) 495-502
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Liu Z, Ahmed M, Weinstein Y, Yi M, Mahajan RL, Goldberg SN. Characterization of the RF ablation-induced ‘oven effect’: the importance of background tissue thermal conductivity on tissue heating. Int J Hyperthermia 2006; 22 (04) 327-342
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Haemmerich D, Schutt DJ. RF ablation at low frequencies for targeted tumor heating: in vitro and computational modeling results. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 2011; 58 (02) 404-410
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Bu-Lin Z, Bing H, Sheng-Li K, Huang Y, Rong W, Jia L. A polyacrylamide gel phantom for radiofrequency ablation. Int J Hyperthermia 2008; 24 (07) 568-576
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Divkovic GW, Liebler M, Braun K, Dreyer T, Huber PE, Jenne JW. Thermal properties and changes of acoustic parameters in an egg white phantom during heating and coagulation by high intensity focused ultrasound. Ultrasound Med Biol 2007; 33 (06) 981-986
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Mikhail AS, Negussie AH, Graham C, Mathew M, Wood BJ, Partanen A. Evaluation of a tissue-mimicking thermochromic phantom for radiofrequency ablation. Med Phys 2016; 43 (07) 4304
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar