Microwave ablation

Microwave ablation (MWA) is the application of electromagnetic waves to treat solid tumors. By causing oscillation of polar water molecules, microwaves produce frictional heating and ultimately induce cellular death via coagulation necrosis. This technique has been largely used for the treatment of tumors in the liver, kidney, lung, and bone.

Indications

• liver
  • hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) 
  • metastases from colorectal cancer 
• pancreas
  • advanced and non-resectable pancreatic tumors - pain control 
• kidney
  • small renal masses 
• lung
  • lung tumors
• bone
  • painful metastatic lesions
  • osteoid osteoma

Advantages

• over radiofrequency ablation (RFA)
  • less heat sink effect 
    • allowing efficient ablation close to large vessels 
  • propagate into fat and calcifications
    • leading to homogeneous coagulation necrosis
  • consistently higher intratumoral temperatures
    • cause larger and fast necrosis
  • faster ablation times
    • lower doses of sedatives might be required 
  • larger tumor ablation volumes