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Robotic-assisted thermal ablation of liver tumours

  • Interventional
  • Published:
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Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to assess the technical success, radiation dose, safety and performance level of liver thermal ablation using a computed tomography (CT)-guided robotic positioning system.

Methods

Radiofrequency and microwave ablation of liver tumours were performed on 20 patients (40 lesions) with the assistance of a CT-guided robotic positioning system. The accuracy of probe placement, number of readjustments and total radiation dose to each patient were recorded. The performance level was evaluated on a five-point scale (5–1: excellent–poor). The radiation doses were compared against 30 patients with 48 lesions (control) treated without robotic assistance.

Results

Thermal ablation was successfully completed in 20 patients with 40 lesions and confirmed on multiphasic contrast-enhanced CT. No procedure related complications were noted in this study. The average number of needle readjustment was 0.8 ± 0.8. The total CT dose (DLP) for the entire robotic assisted thermal ablation was 1382 ± 536 mGy.cm, while the CT fluoroscopic dose (DLP) per lesion was 352 ± 228 mGy.cm. There was no statistically significant (p > 0.05) dose reduction found between the robotic-assisted versus the conventional method.

Conclusion

This study revealed that robotic-assisted planning and needle placement appears to be safe, with high accuracy and a comparable radiation dose to patients.

Key Points

• Clinical experience on liver thermal ablation using CT-guided robotic system is reported.

• The technical success, radiation dose, safety and performance level were assessed.

• Thermal ablations were successfully performed, with an average performance score of 4.4/5.0.

• Robotic-assisted ablation can potentially increase capabilities of less skilled interventional radiologists.

• Cost-effectiveness needs to be proven in further studies.

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Acknowledgements

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Basri Johan Jeet Abdullah. The authors of this manuscript declare relationships with the following companies: Perfint Healthcare Pvt Ltd, Florence, Oregon, USA. The authors state that this work has not received any funding. No complex statistical methods were necessary for this paper. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects (patients) in this study. Approval from the institutional animal care committee was not required because no animal was used in this study. Some study subjects or cohorts have been previously reported in the European Congress of Radiology (ECR), Vienna, on 6 March 2014. Methodology: prospective, case-control study, performed at one institution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Imaging and University of Malaya Research Imaging Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Basri Johan Jeet Abdullah & Chai Hong Yeong

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Basri Johan Jeet Abdullah, Chai Hong Yeong & Khean Lee Goh

  3. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Boon Koon Yoong

  4. Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Gwo Fuang Ho

  5. Department of Anesthesia, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Carolyn Chue Wai Yim

  6. Perfint Healthcare Corporation, Florence, OR, 97439, USA

    Anjali Kulkarni

Authors
  1. Basri Johan Jeet Abdullah
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  2. Chai Hong Yeong
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  3. Khean Lee Goh
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  5. Gwo Fuang Ho
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  7. Anjali Kulkarni
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Correspondence to Basri Johan Jeet Abdullah.

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Abdullah, B.J.J., Yeong, C.H., Goh, K.L. et al. Robotic-assisted thermal ablation of liver tumours. Eur Radiol 25, 246–257 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-014-3391-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-014-3391-7

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