Ferucarbotran expands area treated by radiofrequency ablation in rabbit livers.
OBJECTIVE
Several studies have examined the factors involved with expansion of the coagulation volume following radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Ferucarbotran contains superparamagnetic iron oxide that generates heat in a radiofrequency electric field and may have an effect on the area affected by RFA. We attempted to determine whether ferucarbotran administration expands radiofrequency-ablated volume using a rabbit model.


METHODS
A total of 15 male Japanese white rabbits (16 weeks old) were used and divided into three groups of five each. A 1-mL saline solution was given intravenously into a dorsal ear vein in the control group, whereas 1 mL ferucarbotran solution (0.016 mL/kg bodyweight) was given to the common-dose group and 1 mL of a twofold concentrated ferucarbotran solution (0.032 mL/kg bodyweight) was given to the high-dose group. RFA was performed with a cool-tip electrode 4 h after the administration and immediately thereafter the rabbits were killed, and the volume of the ablated area measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Following the MRI analysis, the rabbit's livers were resected, and the maximum short axis diameter of the ablated area in each was measured.


RESULTS
None of the rabbits died during the RFA procedure. The volume of the ablated area estimated on MR images in the ferucarbotran-administered groups was larger than that in the control group. Further, our macroscopic assessment showed that the maximum short axis diameter had a tendency to increase with ferucarbotran administration.


CONCLUSIONS
Ferucarbotran may expand the area treated by RFA.
Miyake
Tatsuya
T
Division of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Shimane University Hospital, Izumo, Shimane, Japan. miyake@med.shimane-u.ac.jp
Sato
Shuichi
S
Okamoto
Eisuke
E
Ishine
Junichi
J
Oshima
Naoki
N
Azumi
Takane
T
Mishiro
Tomoko
T
Furuta
Koichiro
K
Ishihara
Shunji
S
Adachi
Kyoichi
K
Amano
Yuji
Y
Kinoshita
Yoshikazu
Y
D000818:Animals; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D003911:Dextrans; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D008297:Male; D010087:Oxides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits
D003911:Dextrans; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D010087:Oxides; D007501:Iron; C065507:ferumoxides; D052203:Ferrosoferric Oxide