Interventional Radiology - Tumor Ablation
RIMA Interventional Radiologists are also using interventional radiology techniques to apply heating, freezing, or substances such as acetic acid or ethanol directly into tumors as a means of killing cancer cells. This type of treatment, called tumor ablation, is a relatively new technique that is showing promising results for treating cancer.
During the procedure, using a CT scanner or ultrasound machine, a small needle-like device is inserted into the tumor through a tiny nick in the skin. The interventional radiologist this probe as the images are projected with the CT scanner or ultrasound machine onto a viewing screen so that the probe can be precisely guided into the tumor. The probe is then attached to an energy source that delivers heat (using radiofrequency, laser, or microwave energy) or freezing (a treatment called cryoablation), or a special needle (infusion needle) that allows the tumor to be injected with a tumor-destroying substance.