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Lung Tumors Treated With Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation: Computed Tomography Imaging Follow-Up

  • Clinical Investigation
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Abstract

Purpose

To describe the morphologic evolution of lung tumors treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) by way of computed tomography (CT) images and to investigate patterns of incomplete RFA at the site of ablation.

Materials and Methods

One hundred eighty-nine patients with 350 lung tumors treated with RFA underwent CT imaging at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months. CT findings were interpreted separately by two reviewers with consensus. Five different radiologic patterns were predefined: fibrosis, cavitation, nodule, atelectasis, and disappearance. The appearance of the treated area was evaluated at each follow-up CT using the predefined patterns.

Results

At 1 year after treatment, the most common evolutions were fibrosis (50.5%) or nodules (44.8%). Differences were noted depending on the initial size of the tumor, with fibrosis occurring more frequently for tumors <2 cm (58.6% vs. 22.9%, P = 1 × 10−5). Cavitation and atelectasis were less frequent patterns (2.4% and 1.4%, respectively, at 1 year). Tumor location (intraparenchymatous, with pleural contact <50% or >50%) was not significantly correlated with follow-up image pattern. Local tumor progressions were observed with each type of evolution. At 1 year, 12 local recurrences were noted: 2 cavitations, which represented 40% of the cavitations noted at 1 year; 2 fibroses (1.9%); 7 nodules (7.4%); and 1 atelectasis (33.3%).

Conclusion

After RFA of lung tumors, follow-up CT scans show that the shape of the treatment zone can evolve in five different patterns. None of these patterns, however, can confirm the absence of further local tumor progression at subsequent follow-up.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Pippa McKelvie-Sebileau for help with the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Interventional Radiology, Institut Bergonié, Regional Cancer Center, 229 cours de l’Argonne, 33076, Bordeaux Cedex, France

    Jean Palussière, Benjamin Marcet & Edouard Descat

  2. Department of Medical Oncology, Hôpital Saint-André, 1 rue Jean Burguet, 33075, Bordeaux Cedex, France

    Alain Ravaud

  3. Department of Interventional Radiology, Institut Gustave Roussy, 39 rue Camille Desmoulins, 94805, Villejuif Cedex, France

    Frédéric Deschamps, Pramod Rao & Thierry de Baère

  4. Department of Biostatistics, Institut Bergonié, 229 cours de l’Argonne, 33076, Bordeaux Cedex, France

    Véronique Brouste

Authors
  1. Jean Palussière
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  2. Benjamin Marcet
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  3. Edouard Descat
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  4. Frédéric Deschamps
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Correspondence to Jean Palussière.

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Palussière, J., Marcet, B., Descat, E. et al. Lung Tumors Treated With Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation: Computed Tomography Imaging Follow-Up. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 34, 989–997 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-010-0048-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-010-0048-z

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