Imaging of malignant tumor treated by Argon-Helium cryoablation
SHI Qiu-sheng1, DU Lian-fang1, ZHAO Yong-jie2, CHEN Mei2, CHEN Ye2, LI Xing-mei2, SUN Ju-bao2
1.First Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200080, China;2.First Hospital, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang Henan 471003, China
Objective: To observe the imaging demonstrations of the parenchymal malignancy treated percutaneously with Argon-Helium cryoablation under the guidance of ultrasonography and CT imaging. Methods: Forty-nine foci in 45 patients with malignancy were treated percutaneously with Argon-Helium cryoablation under the guidance of ultrasonography and CT imaging. The size and coverage of ice-balls formed were monitored. The imaging changes were observed. The shrinkage of tumor was followed 3 months post-cryoablation. The foci were divided into two groups in size: less than or equal to 3cm and more than 3cm. The chi-square test and Spearman analysis were used by SPSS 11.0 software. Results: The ice-balls were formed within 50 seconds after cryoablation in 87.5% foci. And it increased in size as the time being. The coverage of the ice-ball more than or equal to and less than 80% were 72.7%, 27.3% and 26.3%, 73.7% in the groups of less than or equal to 3cm and more than 3cm, respectively. The P value is less than 0.05. The ice-ball was demonstrated as arc hyperechogenicity with shadow on ultrasonography. The cryoablated area showed inhomogeneous hyperechogenicity on sonography and round-like hypoattenuated hypoechogenicity on CT imaging. The shrinkage more than 80% of the foci were 81.8% and 30.6% in the groups of less than or equal to and more than 3cm three months after the cryoabalation. The P value is less than 0.01. Conclusions: Imaging is a useful way for the guidance of Argon-Helium cryoabalation. They are accurate, safe and convenient ways for the treatment. The changes of the ice-ball were obviously showed on the ultrasonography and CT imaging. The complications can be found during the procedure in time. It can also be used in the management of the malignancy in many parts of the body.