Radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: a prospective comparison of four radiofrequency devices.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effectiveness of ablation techniques for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with the use of four radiofrequency (RF) devices.


METHODS
One hundred patients with 133 HCC lesions no larger than 4 cm were treated with one of four RF devices: RF 2000 (maximum power, 100 W) and RF 3000 generators (maximum power, 200 W) with LeVeen expandable electrodes with a maximum dimension of 3.5 cm or 4 cm, internally cooled single electrode with a thermal dimension of 3 cm, and a RITA RF generator with expandable electrodes with a maximum dimension of 5 cm.


RESULTS
Numbers of RF sessions needed per HCC to achieve complete necrosis were 1.4 +/- 0.5 with the RF 2000 device and greater than 1.1 +/- 0.3 with the other three devices (P < .05). The RF 2000 device required a more interactive algorithm than the RF 3000 device. Session times per patient were 31.7 minutes +/- 13.2 in the RF 2000 group and longer than 16.6 minutes +/- 7.5 in the RF 3000 group, 28.3 minutes +/- 12 in the RITA device group, and 27.1 minutes +/- 12 with the internally cooled electrode device (P < .005 for RF 2000 vs other devices and for RF 3000 vs RITA or internally cooled electrode device). Complete necrosis and local tumor progression rates at 2 years in the RF 2000, RF 3000, RITA, and internally cooled electrode device groups were 91.1%, 97.1%, 96.7%, and 96.8% and 12%, 8%, 8.2%, and 8.3%, respectively (P = .37).


CONCLUSIONS
Ablation with the RF 3000 device required a shorter time than the other three devices and required a less interactive algorithm than the RF 2000 device. However, complete necrosis and local tumor progression rates were similar among devices.
Lin
Shi-Ming
SM
Liver Research Unit, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, 199 Tung Hwa North Road, Taipei, Taiwan. lsmpaicyto@cgmh.org.tw
Lin
Chen-Chun
CC
Chen
Wei-Ting
WT
Chen
Yi-Chen
YC
Hsu
Chao-Wei
CW
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome