Percutaneous Ablation Techniques for Benign Bone Tumors

Benign bone tumours encompass a diverse group of lesions that may cause significant pain, local tissue disruption and functional impairment despite their non-malignant nature. Over the past two decades, percutaneous ablation has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery, combining image guidance with thermal or chemical modalities to destroy tumour tissue while sparing surrounding structures. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) utilises high-frequency alternating current to generate heat within the tumour nidus, achieving cellular coagulation and necrosis. Cryoablation employs cycles of rapid freezing and thawing to disrupt cellular integrity and vascular supply, permitting precise control over the ablation zone. Sclerotherapy introduces a chemical agent to induce endothelial damage and fibrosis, most often used in vascular or cystic lesions. More recently, magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) has demonstrated the ability to deliver acoustic energy deep within bone without ionising radiation, offering real-time thermometry and non-invasive tumour ablation. Collectively, these techniques have broadened the therapeutic arsenal, reduced hospital stays and propelled ambulatory treatment pathways. Ongoing research is refining needle design, optimising energy delivery and integrating navigation systems to enhance accuracy, reduce recurrence and extend indications to anatomically challenging sites.

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Percutaneous Ablation Techniques for Benign Bone Tumors publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in percutaneous ablation techniques for benign bone tumors across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Percutaneous ablation: A minimally invasive procedure in which needles or probes are inserted through the skin under imaging guidance to deliver thermal or chemical energy to target tissues.

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA): A technique that uses high-frequency alternating current delivered via an electrode to heat and destroy tumour cells.

Cryoablation: An approach that creates extremely low temperatures around tumour tissue by circulating a cryogen within a probe, causing ice-crystal formation and cell death.

Sclerotherapy: The injection of a caustic agent into a lesion to induce vascular endothelial damage, thrombosis and fibrotic obliteration.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS): A non-invasive modality that focuses ultrasonic waves on a target volume to generate heat, monitored in real time by MRI thermometry.

Nidus: The central, often highly vascular, core of a bone tumour such as an osteoid osteoma, representing the primary source of symptoms and therapeutic target.

References

1. A comparative study assessing the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation versus surgical treatment for osteoid osteoma: retrospective analysis in a single institution. Insights into Imaging (2024).
2. Primary Benign Neoplasms of the Spine. Diagnostics (2023).
3. The effect of radiofrequency ablation on pain score and non-steroidal painkiller use in osteoid osteoma patients. BMC Medical Imaging (2023).