MR-guided ablation of head and neck tumors

Interstitial laser-induced thermotherapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive technique for local tumor destruction within solid organs using optical fibers to deliver a high-energy laser to the target lesion. MR imaging is used both for placement of the laser in the tumor and for monitoring progress of thermocoagulation caused by the laser The success of LITT is dependent on the delivery of the optical fibers to the target area, real-time monitoring of the effects of the treatment, and subsequent evaluation of the extent of thermal damage. The key to achieving these objectives is the imaging methods used. The thermosensitivity of certain MR sequences is the key to real-time monitoring, allowing accurate estimation of the extent of thermal damage.