Affiliations: [a] Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery – Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| [b] Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Radiology – Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany
| [c] Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Radiology – Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| [d] Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Beatrice Geyer, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery – Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany. Tel.: +49 30 450 522712; Fax: +49 30 450 522902; E-mail: beatrice.geyer@charité.de.
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Animal liver is established as an ex vivo model for studies on hepatic microwave ablation (MWA). Macroscopically visible color changes in the ablation zone are used to assess cell destruction and confirm successful ablation ex vivo. OBJECTIVE:Macroscopy and histology of MWA zones regarding cell viability in ex vivo porcine livers were compared in this study. METHODS:Six MWA were performed in porcine livers post mortem. A 14-G antenna and microwave generator (928 MHz; 9.0 kJ) were used. MWA were cut at the maximum cross section in vertical alignment to the antenna. NADH-diaphorase staining determined cell vitality. Macroscopic and microscopic ablation zones were statistically analyzed. RESULTS:Histology showed two distinct ablation zones: central white zone (WZH) with no cell viability and peripheral red zone (RZH) with partial cell viability. However, the macroscopically visible WZM was significantly smaller than the microscopic WZH with an area difference of 43.1% (p < 0.05) and a radius difference of 21.2% (1.6 mm; p < 0.05). Macroscopy and histology showed a very high correlation for the complete lesion area (WZH/M+RZH/M; r = 0.9; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:The avital central zone is significantly larger as the macroscopically visible WZ which is commonly used to assess successful ablation in MWA ex vivo studies. Irreversible cell destruction can be underestimated in macroscopic evaluation.
