CT-Guided Microwave Ablation of Liver Tumors in Anatomically Challenging Locations

Purpose To assess the feasibility and outcome of microwave ablation (MWA) of hepatic tumors in anatomically challenging locations. Materials and Methods A total of 94 patients with 174 hepatic tumors referred for CT-guided MWA were included in this retrospective institutional review board-approved study. One hundred and twenty-five tumors (median size 17 mm, range 12–24 mm) with subcapsular location ( n = 91) and/or in which a transpleural approach was applied ( n = 53) were identified (group 1) and compared to tumors with a central intrahepatic location (group 2; n = 49, median size 19 mm, range 12–23 mm). Technical success, complications and local tumor progression (LTP) were evaluated. Risk factors were analyzed using univariate analysis, logistic regression and Kaplan–Meier curves ( p