Can imaging be used to assess treatment success after ablation of renal tumors?

Abstract

Interpretation of imaging studies after renal tumor ablation can be difficult. This Practice Point commentary discusses the study by Weight and colleagues, which examined the correlation between imaging studies and biopsy results 6 months after thermal ablation of renal tumors. One important point from the study is that non-enhancing treatment zones on early imaging studies might still harbor viable tumor cells, which illustrates the need for continued, careful follow-up after ablation, even if the tumor bed lacks enhancement. Nevertheless, post-ablation imaging for identification of recurrence is a critical part of renal tumor ablation. Research into understanding imaging findings, through correlation with pathology, is an important adjunct to the success of renal ablation therapy.