title: [MR-guided laser-induced thermo-ablation of liver tumors: clinical experiences and therapy control concepts].
abstract: Minimally-invasive, laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy (LITT) of solid tumors represents a valid alternative to surgical procedures such as tumor resections. Within the framework of a palliative study on 16 patients, a total of 25 metastases in the liver were treated in an open MR system (0.5 T). The intraoperative scanner design allows patient-based navigation, decisive for a safe applicator positioning, as well as temperature monitoring and direct inspection of the therapy result, without need for patient transfer or repositioning. Although the MR thermometry applied in the open scanner assisted LITT monitoring, the current accuracy of temperature data was not sufficient to serve automatic irradiation control. Therefore, an experimental monitoring and control system was developed in a closed MR scanner (1.5 T) featuring a calibrated MR thermometry. The system provides also an interface to the laser system, allowing the automatic off/on switching of the laser power according to preoperatively defined control criteria. The basic functionality of the automatic laser control was successfully demonstrated with laser ablation experiments of liver samples using irradiation parameters close to typical clinical values.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Diagnostische Radiologie, Universität Leipzig.
authors.forename: Nils-Karsten
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Bär
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Puccini
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schirmer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Busse
mesh_terms: D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods