Can accurate evaluation of the treatment success after radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors be achieved by visual inspection alone? Results of a blinded assessment with 38 interventional oncologists.

Conventional side-by-side evaluation of treatment success after RFA of liver tumors by the juxtaposition of pre- and post-interventional CT-scans is very difficult for experienced radiologists. The implementation of advanced processing techniques such as rigid/non-rigid image fusion with the assessment of the periablational margin is thus likely needed in order to decrease errors and objectively evaluate technical success and predict technique efficacy of liver RFA.