Usefulness of new live 3D ultrasound probe during radiofrequency ablation in a case of hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

We report a case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, suc-cessfully treated with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) under new Live trhree-dimensional (3D) echo guidance for hearts probe before [1], but ,at the time, perform RFA with a new Live3D probe de- veloped flants. A 61 year-old Japanese man had a 3.5 cm in diameter HCC nodule in the liver S3 region. We applied the Live 3D ultrasonography during RFA therapy with a cool-tip needle electrode. The echo guidance facilitated an accurate approach for the needle puncture. The guidance was also useful for confirming, whether an adequate safety marging for the nodule had been obtained. Thus new Live 3D ul-trasonography echo technique appears to provide safe guidance of RFA needles via accurate targeting of HCC nodules, thereby allowing real-time visualize- tion when combined with echo contrast.