HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) CME Test (opens in a new window) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Akahane, M. Articles by Ohtomo, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Akahane, M. Articles by Ohtomo, K. Related Collections Gastrointestinal Radiology Vascular and/or Interventional Radiology

Complications of Percutaneous Radiofrequency Ablation for Hepato-cellular Carcinoma: Imaging Spectrum and Management¹

¹ From the Departments of Radiology (M.A., H.K., N.K., H.Y., K.U., K.O.) and Gastroenterology (R.T., T.T., S.S.), Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7–3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan. Presented as an education exhibit at the 2004 RSNA Annual Meeting. Received February 7, 2005; revision requested April 18 and received May 27; accepted June 3. All authors have no financial relationships to disclose. Address correspondence to M.A. (e-mail: akahane-tky{at}umin.ac.jp).

Percutaneous radiofrequency (RF) ablation is feasible for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, and experience at the authors’ institution during 5 years indicates that percutaneous RF ablation can be performed safely in most cases. However, early or late complications related to mechanical or thermal damage may be observed at follow-up examination. Complications may be classified in three groups: vascular (eg, portal vein thrombosis, hepatic vein thrombosis with partial hepatic congestion, hepatic infarction, and subcapsular hematoma), biliary (eg, bile duct stenosis and biloma, abscess, and hemobilia), and extrahepatic (eg, injury to the gastrointestinal tract, injury to the gallbladder, pneumothorax and hemothorax, and tumor seeding). Most complications can be managed with conservative treatment, percutaneous or endoscopic drainage, or surgical repair. Because an early and accurate diagnosis is necessary for proper management, radiologists should be familiar with the imaging features of each type of complication.

© RSNA, 2005

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M.-h. Park, H. Rhim, Y.-s. Kim, D. Choi, H. K. Lim, and W. J. Lee Spectrum of CT Findings after Radiofrequency Ablation of Hepatic Tumors RadioGraphics, March 1, 2008; 28(2): 379 - 390. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Lee, H. Rhim, Y. H. Jeon, H. K. Lim, W. J. Lee, D. Choi, and Y.-s. Kim Radiofrequency Ablation of Liver Adjacent to Body of Gallbladder: Histopathologic Changes of Gallbladder Wall in a Pig Model Am. J. Roentgenol., February 1, 2008; 190(2): 418 - 425. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]