title: Radiographic Local Control of Spinal Metastases with Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation and Vertebral Augmentation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Combination radiofrequency ablation and vertebral augmentation is an emerging minimally invasive therapy for patients with metastatic spine disease who have not responded to or have contraindications to radiation therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rate of radiographic local control of spinal metastases treated with combination radiofrequency ablation and vertebral augmentation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed our tumor ablation database for all patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation and vertebral augmentation of spinal metastases between April 2012 and July 2014. Tumors treated in conjunction with radiation therapy were excluded. Tumor characteristics, procedural details, and complications were recorded. Posttreatment imaging was reviewed for radiographic evidence of tumor progression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-five tumors met study inclusion criteria. Radiographic local tumor control rates were 89% (41/46) at 3 months, 74% (26/35) at 6 months, and 70% (21/30) at 1 year after treatment. Clinical follow-up was available in 93% (51/55) of cases. The median duration of clinical follow-up was 34 weeks (interquartile range, 15-89 weeks), during which no complications were reported and no patients had clinical evidence of metastatic spinal cord compression at the treated levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combination radiofrequency ablation and vertebral augmentation appears to be an effective treatment for achieving local control of spinal metastases. A prospective clinical trial is now needed to replicate these results.
authors.affiliation: From the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (A.N.W., A.T., D.V., J.W.J.), Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri wallacea@mir.wustl.edu.
authors.forename: A N
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0450-8464
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: From the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (A.N.W., A.T., D.V., J.W.J.), Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1369-908X
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomasian
authors.affiliation: From the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (A.N.W., A.T., D.V., J.W.J.), Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: D
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5718-7425
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vaswani
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine (R.V., R.O.C.), St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: R
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4763-6941
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vyhmeister
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine (R.V., R.O.C.), St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: R O
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0721-9673
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: From the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (A.N.W., A.T., D.V., J.W.J.), Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: J W
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5069-6139
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jennings
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D061208:Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome