Considering angle selection when using ultrasound electrode displacement elastography to evaluate radiofrequency ablation of tissues

Biomed Res Int. 2014:2014:764320. doi: 10.1155/2014/764320. Epub 2014 May 27.

Abstract

Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive treatment to thermally destroy tumors. Ultrasound-based electrode-displacement elastography is an emerging technique for evaluating the region of RFA-induced lesions. The angle between the imaging probe and the RFA electrode can influence electrode-displacement elastography when visualizing the ablation zone. We explored the angle effect on electrode-displacement elastography to measure the ablation zone. Phantoms embedded with meatballs were fabricated and then ablated using an RFA system to simulate RFA-induced lesions. For each phantom, a commercial ultrasound scanner with a 7.5 MHz linear probe was used to acquire raw image data at different angles, ranging from 30° to 90° at increments of 10°, to construct electrode-displacement images and facilitate comparisons with tissue section images. The results revealed that the ablation regions detected using electrode-displacement elastography were highly correlated with those from tissue section images when the angle was between 30° and 60°. However, the boundaries of lesions were difficult to distinguish, when the angle was larger than 60°. The experimental findings suggest that angle selection should be considered to achieve reliable electrode-displacement elastography to describe ablation zones.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Catheter Ablation / methods*
  • Elasticity Imaging Techniques / methods*
  • Electrodes
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Ultrasonics / methods*