Laser interstitial thermal therapy

Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) or focal laser ablation is a surgical technique for selective ablation of a lesion or tissue using laser-generated heat. Compared to other minimally invasive techniques such as radiofrequency, microwave, or cryoablation, lasers are able to create a more precise ablation zone ¹.

MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy has thus far gained clinical use primarily in neurosurgical applications, such as treatment of brain tumors and epilepsy ¹, and urological applications such as treatment of prostate cancer ². MRI is employed for stereotactic navigation of probe placement as well as intraoperative thermal imaging of the ablation area. Postprocedural imaging evaluates the extent of ablation ^1,3.