title: The Role of Interventional Radiology Techniques in the Management of Renal Angiomyolipomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although benign, renal angiomyolipoma (AML) may lead to serious complications without appropriate management. The purpose of this review is to describe the role of and evidence for interventional radiology techniques in the management of patients with AML.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For patients with renal masses and non-diagnostic imaging studies, image-guided percutaneous biopsy is found to be highly accurate and useful in directing patient management. Once the diagnosis of AML has been made based on either imaging or biopsy, arterial embolization of tumors that are symptomatic or >4 cm has been demonstrated to reduce the risk of hemorrhage as well as tumor size. Percutaneous ablation devices have been proposed as alternative strategies but remain investigational. The utility of interventional radiology techniques including percutaneous core needle biopsy and prophylactic super-selective arterial embolization is safe and effective management strategies for patients presenting with AML tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Division of Interventional Radiology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 1 Silverstein, 3400 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Kiefer
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Division of Interventional Radiology, Hospital of University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 1 Silverstein, 3400 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA. stav@uphs.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: S William
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Stavropoulos
mesh_terms: D018207:Angiomyolipoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Angiomyolipoma; Arterial embolization; Interventional radiology; Microwave ablation; Radiofrequency ablation