[Percutaneous ablation of renal tumors: radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation?]

Abstract

Percutaneous ablation of renal tumors, including radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation, are increasingly being used for small tumors as an alternative to surgery for poor surgical candidates. Compared to radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation has several advantages: improved volume control and preservation of adjacent structures due to the excellent depiction of the ice ball on CT and MRI; better protection of the collecting system for central tumor with reduced risk of postprocedural urinary fistula. The main pitfall of cryoablation is the higher cost. Therefore, cryoablation should be reserved for the treatment of complex tumors. In this article, we will review the different steps of percutaneous renal tumor ablation procedures including patient selection, technical considerations, and follow-up imaging.