A MR compatible interstitial US applicator was developed for percutaneous treatmentof hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) under imaging control. This work was based on two experimentations : 1) In the first experimentation, performed in vivo on pig liver,macro-lésions corresponding to the fusion of several elementary lesions on 360° were realized percutaneously under echo-guidance. The macrolésions obtainedshowed a size similar to those obtained with RF in clinical practice. Moreover, in this study, the elementary lesions proved to be quite indifferent to the heat sink effect oflarge hepatic blood-vessels; 2) In the second experimentation, performed in vitro andin vivo on pig liver, MR temperature active control was obtained for the creation oflesions similar in size and aspect in all directions. This MR temperature active control appeared extremely interesting since the power applied and the time of application were very different according to the direction of the ultrasonic beam.
Echo-guidance and MR temperature active control for interstitial US Ablation in liver