title: Effects of liver tumor and post-ablation necrosis volume on the result of radiofrequency ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To find out whether the total tumor mass and post-ablation necrosis volume influence the disease-free survival of patients following radiofrequency ablation (RFA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty nine patients with RFA of primary and secondary tumors were evaluated retrospectively in a four year period. Total liver mass, post-ablation necrosis volume and their ratio were evaluated using computed tomography examination in the relationship with the risk of insufficient tumor ablation and the disease-free patients survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A complete ablation was performed in 51 patients, non-ablation in 8 (13.6%) patients. Tumor, necrosis volume were 19.2±19.5, 58.7±44.7mL, respectively. The tumor and necrosis mass ratio was 0.39±0.45. The tumor or necroses mass volume or the tumor/necroses mass ratio had no effect on the patients progression-free survival. Patients with a necrosis volume <25mL had a 10-times higher risk of insufficient ablation (OR=9.9; 95% CI=1.9-51.5; p<0.002) and patients with the tumor/necrosis mass ratio >0.4 had a 8-times higher risk of insufficient ablation (OR=7.9; 95% CI=1.4-44.6; p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Necrosis volume after RFA and tumor/necrosis mass ratio are the important factors for insufficient ablation but do not have any influence on the patients progression-free survival.
authors.affiliation: Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic. treska@fnplzen.cz
authors.forename: Vladislav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Treska
authors.forename: Hynek
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mirka
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fichtl
authors.forename: Vaclav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Liska
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Skalicky
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sutnar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed