Industrial Technology Research Institute

Technology Overview

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an interventional therapy that has been emerging in the cardiac catheterization and in the treatment of solid tumors. ITRI’s intelligent radiofrequency ablation, or iRFA, is the first all-in-one ultrasound imaging-guided RFA system in the world that features an integration of percutaneous RFA procedure and ultrasound imaging.

The common practice of RFA is to percutaneously inject an electrode to a target lesion guided by medical images and to generate an RF current with oscillation frequency between 350 and 500kHz. The RF waves agitate tissue ions around the electrode and result in temperature increase within the tissue due to frictional heat which causes local tissue necrosis for lesion treatments. The various phenotype and location of the tumor are both challenging to the surgeon in performing this minimally invasive procedure. ITRI’s iRFA takes both effective and precise ablation needs into account.

• RF generator with imaging navigation
  Maximum output power of 200W; maximum current of 2A; temperature, impedance and current monitoring; multiple treatment modes; hands-free needle insertion guide
• Adjustable electrode with close-loop ablation control mode  
  Straight electrode for liver tumor ablation; straight electrode for thyroid gland lesion ablation; adjustable RF electrode

• RF generator
  • All-in-one RF generator including needle insertion guide, ablation monitor and ablation zone estimation
  • Intelligent monitoring and feedback
• Electrode
  • Spherical ablation volume
  • Adjustable ablation volume and direction
  • Expanded ablation volume (for > 5 cm tumor size)

Applications & Benefits

This patented technology can be used to treat solid tumors in the liver, lungs, pancreas or thyroid nodules, as well as cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Clinical evidence confirms that it achieves a cure rate similar to the conventional surgical method, but the incision size is reduced and the recovery period is shortened, showing that it has potential for replacing the conventional surgery.

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