Radiofrequency Ablation
At Jefferson we offer a number of options for patients who may not be candidates for liver resection or transplant. Radiofrequency ablation uses heat energy to destroy tumor or scar tissue. It is a technique available for patients who have:

• Insufficient liver reserve (poor liver function)
• Small-to-large tumors (up to 10 cm)
• Tumors in several areas of the liver
• Fibrosis (scar tissue) and liver tumors
• Cirrhosis and liver tumors

Interventional Radiologists use radiofrequency ablation by using a needle inserted into the liver through the skin or by open surgical methods; the choice depends on a variety of factors such as the patient’s ability to clot or the size and location of the tumor. They are guided throughout the procedure by the use of computed tomography (CT), MRI, as well as angiography (a technique with which a radiologist can “light up” the liver veins and arteries on an X-ray) and ultrasound.