title: Magnetic resonance imaging-guided laser ablation of bone tumors.
abstract: Image-guided thermal ablation of bone tumors is gaining acceptance in the oncology community. Computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation are widely available and are used in clinical practice. However, a potentially devastating complication of these techniques is thermal injury to the spinal cord and nerve roots in patients with tumors involving the vertebra, paraspinal tissues, or pelvis. Magnetic resonance imaging-guided laser ablation with quantitative magnetic resonance temperature imaging is a novel technique that allows for accurate imaging of the tumor, real-time placement of laser fibers, and real-time monitoring of the ablation zone. With this technique, target temperature thresholds are placed on critical neural elements to provide real-time feedback that allows for automatic deactivation of the laser when the threshold temperature is reached. The ablation zone is generated quickly, with sharp and well-demarcated boundaries. As such, magnetic resonance imaging-guided laser ablation may be a safer technique for ablating bone tumors in the vicinity of the spinal cord, nerve roots, and peripheral nerves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Section of Interventional Radiology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77230-1402, USA. kahrar@mdanderson.org
authors.forename: Kamran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahrar
authors.forename: R Jason
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Stafford
mesh_terms: D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods*; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*