Midterm Local Efficacy and Survival after Radiofrequency Ablation of Lung Tumors with Minimum Follow-up of 1 Year: Prospective Evaluation

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the local efficacy of radiofrequency (RF) ablation of lung neoplasms, with a minimum follow-up period of 1 year. Materials and Methods: Sixty patients (34 men and 26 women; age range, 27–81 years; mean age, 66 years) with 100 lung tumors gave written informed consent to be enrolled in a prospective study that was approved by the local ethics committee. There were five or fewer tumors per patient, each with a diameter of less than 40 mm (mean ± standard deviation, 17 mm ± 10). RF ablation was performed in tumors by using computed tomographic (CT) guidance. Follow-up CT studies were obtained within 48 hours after treatment and at 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months thereafter to evaluate treatment outcome and complications. Lung spirometry measurements were obtained before and 4 weeks after RF ablation. Results: Ninety-seven of 100 targeted tumors were treated and required 163 RF ablations (1.68 per tumor), each lasting 14 minutes ± 8, delivered during 74 procedures. The 18-month es...