Although nephron-sparing surgery remains the gold standard treatment for small renal tumors, minimally invasive image-guided percutaneous ablation is becoming a viable alternative to operative resection. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryoablation show high technical success rates, a relatively low incidence of residual or recurrent tumor, and competitive rates of patient survival. In this review, an overview of the current status of image-guided percutaneous ablation of renal tumors is presented, with a focus on procedure indications and patient selection, technical aspects of ablation procedures, and treatment outcomes and patient follow-up.
Keywords: Percutaneous; ablation; cryoablation; kidney; radiofrequency; renal; tumor.