title: Interactive multi-criteria planning for radiofrequency ablation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Image-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a broadly used minimally invasive method for the thermal destruction of focal liver malignancies using needle-shaped instruments. The established planning workflow is based on examination of 2D slices and manual definition of the access path. During that process, multiple criteria for all possible trajectories have to be taken into account. Hence, it demands considerable experience and constitutes a significant mental task.
  
  
  METHODS
  An access path determination method based on image processing and numerical optimization is proposed. Fast GPU-based simulation approximation is utilized to incorporate the heat distribution including realistic cooling effects from nearby blood vessels. A user interface for intuitive exploration of the optimization results is introduced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proposed methods are integrated into a clinical software assistant. To evaluate the suitability of the interactive optimization approach for the identification of meaningful therapy strategies, a retrospective study has been carried out. The system is able to propose clinically relevant trajectories to the target by incorporating multiple criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A novel method for planning of image-guided radiofrequency ablation by means of interactive access path determination based on optimization is presented. A first retrospective study indicates that the method is suited to improve the classical planning of RFA.
authors.affiliation: Fraunhofer MEVIS, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Universitätsallee 29, 28359, Bremen, Germany, christian.schumann@mevis.fraunhofer.de.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schumann
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rieder
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haase
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Teichert
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Süss
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Isfort
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bruners
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Preusser
mesh_terms: D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012984:Software