title: Ex vivo evaluation of novel miniaturized laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy applicators for effective small-volume tissue ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  For effective small-volume tissue ablation in clinical and experimental settings, smaller laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy (LITT) applicator designs are required. The aim of this study was to compare the ablation properties of recently developed ultrasmall and small to standard LITT applicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy was performed on liver samples using ultrasmall, small, and standard LITT applicators. Thermotherapy was monitored by magnetic resonance imaging, and lesion sizes were measured for each image. True lesion sizes were then determined macroscopically and by histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For continuous laser application over 5 minutes, maximum power settings were 5 W for the ultrasmall and small applicators and 10 W for the standard applicator. Given identical LITT settings, lesion volume measured by magnetic resonance imaging was significantly larger and histological tissue damage was more severe with the ultrasmall and small applicators than with the standard applicator.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small and ultrasmall LITT applicators can be used for effective tissue ablation of small target volumes in experimental and clinical applications.
authors: Institute for Clinical Radiology, University of Muenster, Germany. bremer@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Bremer
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Kreft
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Roggan
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Filler
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Reimer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004867:Equipment Design; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000295:instrumentation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008904:Miniaturization; D013552:Swine