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Multipolar Radiofrequency Ablation with Internally Cooled Electrodes: Experimental Study in ex Vivo Bovine Liver with Mathematic Modeling¹

¹ From the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Eberhard-Karls-University, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 3, 72076 Tübingen, Germany (S.C., D.S., A.B., C.D.C., P.L.P.); and Department of Medical Biometry (K.D.) and Institute of Pathology (S.M.K.), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. From the 2004 RSNA Annual Meeting. Received April 6, 2005; revision requested June 3; revision received June 30; final version accepted July 20. Address correspondence to S.C. (e-mail: stephan.clasen{at}med.uni-tuebingen.de).

Purpose: To evaluate the size and geometry of thermally induced coagulation by using multipolar radiofrequency (RF) ablation and to determine a mathematic model to predict coagulation volume.

Materials and Methods: Multipolar RF ablations (n = 80) were performed in ex vivo bovine livers by using three internally cooled bipolar applicators with two electrodes on the same shaft. Applicators were placed in a triangular array (spacing, 2–5 cm) and were activated in multipolar mode (power output, 75–225 W). The size and geometry of the coagulation zone, together with ablation time, were assessed. Mathematic functions were fitted, and the goodness of fit was assessed by using r².

Results: Coagulation volume, short-axis diameter, and ablation time were dependent on power output and applicator distance. The maximum zone of coagulation (volume, 324 cm³; short-axis diameter, 8.4 cm; ablation time, 193 min) was induced with a power output of 75 W at an applicator distance of 5 cm. Coagulation volume and ablation time decreased as power output increased. Power outputs of 100–125 W at applicator distances of 2–4 cm led to a reasonable compromise between coagulation volume and ablation time. At 2 cm (100 W), coagulation volume, short-axis diameter, and ablation time were 66 cm³, 4.5 cm, and 19 min, respectively; at 3 cm (100 W), 90 cm³, 5.2 cm, and 22 min, respectively; at 4 cm (100 W), 132 cm³, 6.1 cm, and 27 min, respectively; at 2 cm (125 W), 56 cm³, 4.2 cm, and 9 min, respectively; at 3 cm (125 W), 73 cm³, 4.9 cm, and 12 min, respectively; and at 4 cm (125 W), 103 cm³, 5.5 cm, and 16 min, respectively. At applicator distances of 4 cm (>125 W) and 5 cm (>100 W), the zones of coagulation were not confluent. Coagulation volume (r² = 0.80) and RF ablation time (r² = 0.93) were determined by using the mathematic model.

Conclusion: Multipolar RF ablation with three bipolar applicators may produce large volumes of confluent coagulation ex vivo. A compromise is necessary between prolonged RF ablations at lower power outputs, which produce larger volumes of coagulation, and faster RF ablations at higher power outputs, which produce smaller volumes of coagulation.

© RSNA, 2006

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