title: [Cryoablation - back again?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary and secondary liver tumors often limit patient outcome and only a minority of patients are eligible for potential curative surgery. Minimally invasive treatments, such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA), microwave ablation (MWA) and cryoablation are alternative treatment options in a curative and palliative setting. One major limitation of RFA and MWA is the limited size of tumor ablation. Furthermore during the procedure the ablation size can only be roughly estimated using RFA and MWA.
  
  
  METHODS
  RFA is the standard modality of minimally invasive tumor therapy. In comparison cryoablation is rarely used despite its advantages.
  
  
  METHODS
  Argon-helium-based cryoablation systems of the newest generation combine the advantage of small diameter applicators comparable with those of RFA and MWA systems with intrinsic advantages.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cryoablation is a minimally invasive treatment option with advantages, such as virtually unlimited ablation size, real-time visualization using computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound and intrinsic analgesic effects. On the other hand it is not very time-efficient in comparison to MWA. Especially in liver metastases RFA is the preferred treatment option.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cryoablation is a fascinating treatment option in minimally invasive tumor treatment. It demonstrates good results in hepatocellular carcinoma within the Milan criteria and T1a renal cell carcinoma. Furthermore it is a well-established treatment modality for palliative pain management in bone tumors.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Diagnostische und Interventionelle Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Deutschland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Isfort
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Penzkofer
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mahnken
mesh_terms: D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*