Application of real-time virtual sonography in guidance of radiofrequency ablation of hepatic tumors

Aims: To employ real-time virtual sonography (RVS) during US-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for treatment of hepatic tumors. Methods: An EUB-6500 ultrasound machine (Hitachi Medical Corporation, Japan) equipped with RVS was used in this study. The study group comprised 39 patients with totally 50 hepatic tumors. The pathologies included 31 hepatocellular carcinomas, 18 liver metastases, and one cholangiocarcinoma. The size of the tumor ranged from 0.9 to 9.3cm (mean: 3.0cm). Thirty-one lesions were not more than 3.0cm in size. The remaining 19 lesions were larger than 3.0cm. The source images used for RVS…