Cryoablation of Primary Breast Cancer in Patients with Metastatic Disease: Considerations Arising from a Single-Centre Data Analysis

Figure 1

A 50-year-old woman was diagnosed as having invasive ductal carcinoma and distant metastases. Axial contrast-enhanced T1-weighted fat suppression MR image showed the primary breast cancer located in the external quadrant of the left breast measuring 27 mm in its major diameter (arrow) (a). She was submitted to CT-guided cryoablation of the breast tumor under local anesthesia and conscious sedation. We used three cryoprobes along with one thermocouple for temperature monitoring (b). Axial contrast-enhanced T1-weighted fat suppression image 2 months after the procedure showed complete ablation with a large nonenhanced area, due to tissue necrosis, surrounded by a ring of enhanced tissue compatible with granulation tissue in the proliferative phase (arrow) (c).

(a)

(b)

(c)