Radiofrequency ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma sized > 3 and ≤ 5 cm: Is ablative margin of more than 1 cm justified?

Figure 1 Flow diagram of the enrollment and follow-up. A total of 281 patients met the inclusion criteria. HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; RF: Radiofrequency; TACE: transcatheter arterial chemoembolization; AM: Ablative margin.

Figure 2 Three-dimensional computed tomography for radiofrequency ablation imaging in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. A: The computed tomography (CT) images prior to the second radiofrequency (RF) ablation; B: The CT images after the second RF ablation. 1: Axial plane; 2: Coronal plane; 3: Sagittal plane. The ablative margin is < 0.5 cm prior to the second RF ablation, and it has been ablated to ≥ 0.5 cm after the second RF ablation. Black arrow indicates the shortest width of the area of low density outside the iodine stained tumor.

Figure 3 Kaplan-Meier analysis between the 0. 5-1.0 cm group and the > 1.0 cm group. A: The local tumor progression-free survival rates; B: The intrahepatic distant recurrence-free survival rates; C: The overall survival rates.