Laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy of liver metastases in an interventional 0.5 Tesla MRI system: Technique and first clinical experiences

✍ Scribed by Volkhard Ulrich Fiedler; Hans-Joachim Schwarzmaier; Frank Eickmeyer; Frank Peter Müller; Christian Schoepp; Patrick Robert Verreet

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 659 KB
• Volume: 13
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1053-1807
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.1101

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Laser‐induced interstitial thermotherapy (LITT) surveyed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to be effective in various applications. The laser treatment of colorectal liver metastases usually requires a separate device (e.g., ultrasound or CT) to position the laser applicator. In this study, we used an interventional 0.5 T MRI system, allowing both the navigation to the target tissue and on‐line thermometry. Laser irradiation was performed using a near‐infrared laser source combined with a cooled laser light guide. We treated 20 patients exhibiting a total of 58 colorectal liver metastases. Clinically relevant complications did not occur. No residual tumor was observed after laser irradiation in all metastases with a diameter below 2 cm. Metastases with a mean diameter between 2 and 3 cm demonstrated total necrosis in 71%, while in larger tumors this proportion decreased to 46% (diameter, 3–4 cm) and 30% (diameter, >4 cm), respectively. We conclude that LITT, guided by the employed interventional MRI system, is feasible and safe. The results suggest a more aggressive treatment, especially for larger metastases. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001;13:729–737. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.