Musculoskeletal oncology and thermal ablation: the current and emerging role of interventional radiology

Abstract

The role of interventional radiology (IR) is expanding. With new techniques being developed and tested, this radiology subspecialty is taking a step forward in different clinical scenarios, especially in oncology. Musculoskeletal tumoral diseases would definitely benefit from a low-invasive approach that could reduce mortality and morbidity in particular. Thermal ablation through IR has already become important in the palliation and consolidation of bone metastases, oligometastatic disease, local recurrences, and treating specific benign tumors, with a more tailored approach, considering the characteristics of every patient. As image-guided ablation techniques lower their invasiveness and increase their efficacy while the collateral effects and complications decrease, they become more relevant and need to be considered in patient care pathways and clinical management, to improve outcomes. We present a literature review of the different percutaneous and non-invasive image-guided thermal ablation methods that are currently available and that could in the future become relevant to manage musculoskeletal oncologic diseases.

Keywords: Ablation techniques; Bone metastases; Bone neoplasms; Cementoplasty; Cryoablation; Desmoid tumour; High-intensity focused ultrasound; MRgFUS; Osteoblastoma; Osteoid osteoma; Radiofrequency ablation; Radiology, interventional; Soft tissue neoplasms.