Invited Tutorial I
Presenter: Dr. Ariela Sofer, George Mason Univeristy
Time: Saturday, February 4, 2006 (1:30 - 2:30 pm)
Title: Optimization in Thermal Ablation of Tumors
Abstract:
Thermal ablation is the destruction of tumors by thermal energy, either by heat (microwave, ultrasound, laser, or radiofrequency ablation) or by cold (cryoablation). In the first part of this tutorial we will give a brief overview of thermal ablation, and the optimization challenges the various ablation techniques pose.
We then focus on radiofrequency ablation (RFA), a minimally invasive technique for killing tumors by heat. In RFA, one or more needles are placed at the tumor site, and alternating current in the range of radiofrequency is applied. This causes ionic agitation, which in turn creates frictional heat. Temperatures in excess of 50 Celsius kills tissue. RFA has recently emerged as an important method for treatment of hepatic tumors, since most liver cancer patients are not candidates for surgical resection.
The ablation treatment plan is to determine the number of needles and their positions, to guarantee that the entire tumor is killed while damage to vital healthy tissue is minimized. We discuss the challenges in RFA treatment planning and propose initial solution approaches.