Technology and procedures for tumor ablation continue to evolve. Experts are evaluating new techniques for protecting organs, reducing pain, and avoiding complications. More »

Creating a successful tumor ablation practice demands that physicians change the way they approach both cancer care and the practice of radiology. More »

Once Dr. Andrew Hines-Peralta resolved the problem of how to percutaneously cook large liver tumors, he undertook a more pressing challenge: remodeling his condo. More »

A special Interventional Oncology Symposium held at the RSNA meeting in December confirmed tumor ablation’s status as an accepted and growing therapy. The symposium, cosponsored by the RSNA and the Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation, drew standing room-only crowds to presentations about ablation and embolization methods, new technologies, and the basic science behind interventional oncology. More »

Researchers continue to build the case for RFA with new data showing the procedure to be an effective alternative to surgery for the treatment of liver, lung, and kidney malignancies. Results were presented at the Interventional Oncology Symposium in December. More »

What does it take to incorporate radiofrequency ablation into a successful cancer practice? Time, money, and skills, to be sure, but also a shift in the way physicians think about modalities, specialties, and the disease itself. The Cancer Care Institute at Decatur Memorial Hospital in Illinois is one practice that has successfully incorporated RFA into its treatment options. Here’s how they did it. More »

Dr. Francis Facchini, an attending radiologist at Decatur Memorial Hospital and an assistant professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, is one of three dedicated interventional radiologists performing radiofrequency ablation and other tumor ablation procedures in the hospital’s cancer practice. He spoke to Diagnostic Imaging’s Tumor Ablation Clinic about the practical aspects of incorporating RFA into a cancer practice and what role he expects the technology to... More »

Radiofrequency ablation is generally a very safe procedure, but complications can occur. The best way to minimize complications is to have a good grasp of the risks involved with different procedure types and to practice sensible patient care protocols. More »

Reimbursement for radiofrequency ablation of tumors continues to broaden, with local Medicare agencies and most major insurers covering the procedure for unresectable liver neoplasms. Palliative RFA treatment of bone metastases follows as the next most widely accepted procedure. These positions are bolstered by existing CPT codes for the treatments. More »

As more medical practitioners accept RFA and other tumor ablation methods for cancer treatment, physicians must determine how to integrate the procedure into their practices. The leap from academia to a clinical setting may be perilous, as tumor ablation doesn’t fit neatly into any one specialty. Does RFA belong in the interventional radiology box, the surgery box, or the oncology box? More »