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Percutaneous Tumour Ablation — Principles & Techniques

Interventional Radiology · Cochin Hospital AP-HP · Paris

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🔥 Oncology · Ablation

Percutaneous Tumour Ablation — RFA, Microwave, Cryoablation

Image-guided · No surgery · Liver · Kidney · Lung · Bone · Thyroid · Local or general anaesthesia

What is percutaneous tumour ablation?

Percutaneous tumour ablation is the direct destruction of a tumour by inserting a probe through the skin under imaging guidance (CT or ultrasound). The probe delivers energy (heat for RFA/microwave, cold for cryoablation) to destroy the tumour while sparing surrounding tissue. No incision — only a needle puncture.

At Cochin AP-HP, ablation is performed by senior interventional radiologists using the intra-procedural CT guidance with a high-resolution scanner — the most advanced per-procedural imaging system available.

Techniques

🌡️ Radiofrequency ablation (RFA)

Electrical current heats tissue to 60–100°C, causing cell death. Reference technique for lesions <3 cm. Fast, precise, excellent long-term data.

📡 Microwave ablation (MWA)

Electromagnetic energy produces larger ablation zones more quickly. Preferred for lesions >3 cm or near blood vessels (less heat sink effect).

❄️ Cryoablation

Freeze–thaw cycles at −40°C. Ablation zone visible on CT in real time. Preferred near sensitive structures (nerves, bile ducts, ureter).

🏥 intra-procedural CT guidance

Hybrid angiography + haute résolution CT suite. Enables per-procedural high-resolution CT, spectral imaging, and contrast injection to confirm complete ablation.

Organs and indications

  • Liver — hepatocellular carcinoma (≤5 cm), liver metastases (colorectal, neuroendocrine)
  • Kidney — renal cell carcinoma T1a (≤4 cm), as alternative to surgery
  • Lung — primary NSCLC stage I, oligometastatic pulmonary disease
  • Bone — osteoid osteoma (95% cure, single session), painful bone metastases
  • Thyroid — benign nodules (RFA/microwave/cryoablation), 50–80% volume reduction
  • Soft tissue — desmoid tumours, subcutaneous metastases, abdominal wall endometriosis

Frequently asked questions

It is a technique that destroys a tumour using heat (radiofrequency, microwave) or cold (cryoablation), delivered through a needle placed under imaging guidance, without open surgery.
Small tumours in the liver, kidney, lung and bone, typically under 3-4 cm, in patients where surgery is not preferred or not possible.
Yes. At Cochin AP-HP (a French public hospital), procedures are covered by national health insurance with no out-of-pocket fees. Please use our contact form.

Related pages

🇫🇷 This page is also available in French: ablation-percutanee-definition.html

A kidney tumour: what are the options?

Cryoablation can sometimes be considered for a small kidney tumour, depending on its size, location and kidney function. See the page on kidney tumour ablation.

📝 Ask for an opinion on a kidney tumour (form in French)

Why this page is trustworthy

Written by the Interventional Radiology team at Cochin Hospital AP-HP, Université Paris Cité. Medically reviewed by an interventional radiologist of the department. Last updated: August 2026.

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