Glossary Term:
Title
radiofrequency ablation
Phonetic
<b>ray</b>-dee-oh-<b>free</b>-kwin-see uh-<b>blay</b>-shun
Description
Treatment that uses high-energy radio waves to heat and destroy abnormal tissues.
Also called RFA. A thin, needle-like probe is guided into the tumor by ultrasound or computed tomography (CT) scan. The probe releases a high-frequency current that heats and kills cancer cells. RFA is sometimes used to treat tumors in the liver, and is being studied for use in other areas of the body.