Image-guided Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) - Development, Validation, and Integration of Multimodality Treatment Planning for Vertebral Tumors

许多癌症（例如乳腺癌、肺癌和前列腺癌）可以从其起源部位扩散（转移）。这种扩散的一个非常常见的部位是骨骼。脊柱是最常见的骨组织受影响。在所有癌症中，高达40%发生在骨性脊柱（椎骨）的转移性疾病。椎骨骨折会引起疼痛，并增加断裂/塌陷（即骨折）的风险，影响活动性和生活质量。放射治疗是脊柱转移瘤的标准治疗方法，但并不能完全有效地杀死所有肿瘤。射频消融（RFA）是一种替代治疗方法，使用小探针（针）传递能量加热肿瘤以杀死癌细胞。我们的研究团队已经成功开发了专门针对骨性脊柱的新型RFA治疗探头。在这个研究项目中，我们现在的目标是开发一个治疗计划系统的脊椎射频消融，是与目前的计划进行放射治疗。这将使临床医生制定联合治疗计划，这可能是最好的解决骨脊柱肿瘤。该项目还旨在通过使用三维（3D）和二维（2D）术中X射线成像导航RFA探头的位置，确保准确提供RFA治疗计划。这个新系统的开发将整合以用户为中心的设计方法，在整个开发过程中，来自专家临床用户的反馈将指导最终产品设计。在本项目结束时，我们将开发一个脊柱RFA计划和治疗系统，准备在脊柱转移瘤患者的临床中进行测试。

Many cancers (for example breast, lung, and prostate cancer) can spread (metastasize) from their site of origin. A verycommon site of this spread is to the bone. The spine is the most common bone tissue affected. Metastatic disease in thebony spine (vertebrae) occurs in up to 40% of all cancers. Diseased vertebrae can cause pain and have an increased risk ofbreaking/collapsing (i.e. fracture), impacting mobility and quality of life. Radiation is a standard of care treatment for spinalmetastases, but is not fully effective in killing all tumours. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an alternate method of treatmentthat uses a small probe (needle) to delivery energy to heat tumours to kill cancer cells. Our research team has had successdeveloping new RFA treatment probes that specifically target the bony spine. In this research project, we now aim to developa treatment planning system for vertebral RFA that is integrated with current planning performed for radiation therapy. Thiswill allow clinicians to developed combined treatment plans which may best address tumours in the bony spine. The projectfurther aims to ensure accurate delivery of the RFA treatment plans through navigating the position of the RFA probes using3-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) intra-operative X-ray imaging. Development of this new system will integrate auser centred design approach whereby feedback from expert clinical users during the whole development process will guidethe final product design. By the end of this project, we will have developed a spine RFA planning and treatment system thatis ready to be tested in the clinic on patients with spinal metastases.