title: Real-time qualitative MR monitoring of microwave ablation in ex vivo livers.
abstract: Computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound-guided microwave ablations (MWA) are part of the established treatment of liver tumours. In spite of its potential advantages, magnetic resonance (MR) monitoring of MWA did not enter clinical practice because of the lack of compatible devices. The purpose of the current study was to prove the feasibility of real-time qualitative MR monitoring using a new MR-compatible MWA device.
  
  
  
  We performed 27 MWA experiments with different durations (5, 10 and 15 min) on an ex vivo bovine liver model using a MR-compatible MWA device. We compared the diameters of the ablation zone as depicted on three T1-based sequences to those of the macroscopic specimen. The volume and the sphericity index of the macroscopic ablation area were calculated in order to characterise the device. Ablation pattern and artefacts on the three sequences were also taken into account.
  
  
  
  We obtained high-quality real-time images using all three sequences. The diameters as depicted on the MR sequences slightly overestimated the macroscopic ablation area but correlated significantly in all cases (p < 0.05). VIBE provided the best correlation for both short-axis diameter (r = 0.96) and long-axis diameter (r = 0.87), whereas starVIBE (r = 0.85; r = 0.72) and FLASH (r = 0.75; r = 0.84) correlated slightly less. Significantly more severe noise artefacts were observed on starVIBE compared to FLASH and VIBE sequences (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  
  The current ex vivo liver model experiment suggests that real-time qualitative MR monitoring of MWA is feasible. Further research using in vivo and human models are recommended.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology , University Hospital , Frankfurt am Main , Germany ;
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaltenbach
authors.affiliation: a Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology , University Hospital , Frankfurt am Main , Germany ;
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roman
authors.affiliation: a Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology , University Hospital , Frankfurt am Main , Germany ;
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eichler
authors.affiliation: a Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology , University Hospital , Frankfurt am Main , Germany ;|b Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology , Cairo University Hospital , Cairo , Egypt.
authors.forename: Nour-Eldin A
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Nour-Eldin
authors.affiliation: a Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology , University Hospital , Frankfurt am Main , Germany ;
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Vogl
authors.affiliation: a Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology , University Hospital , Frankfurt am Main , Germany ;
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zangos
mesh_terms: D055011:Ablation Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods; D002417:Cattle; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use*
keywords: Ex vivo model; MR imaging; microwave; thermal ablation