Background:
Liver cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with a survival rate of less than five years. Current therapeutic options include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and ablation therapy. Ablation therapy, a minimally invasive approach, destroys cancerous tissue using heat. Among emerging therapeutic techniques, Magnetic Resonance Thermography (MRT) has gained considerable attention.
MRT is a non-invasive technique for real-time temperature monitoring during liver cancer therapy. This controlled hyperthermic effect enhances tumor ablation while sparing surrounding healthy tissues. the purpose of this study is investigating the current applications of
MRT in liver cancer treatment, examine the challenges hindering its clinical adoption, and highlight recent innovations and future directions aimed at optimizing
MRT for effective and accessible cancer care. Materials and Methods: The keywords of "Magnetic resonance thermography", "Liver cancer", "Hyperthermia", "Ablation therapy", "Temperature monitoring", and "proton resonance frequency shift (PRFS)" were entered into scientific databases of Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed and Elsevier. About thirty-seven fully relevant papers were extracted and reviewed. Results: Magnetic Resonance Thermography (MRT) measures tissue temperature using MRI signals, primarily through the Proton Resonance Frequency Shift (PRFS). It has been shown to accurately monitor temperature changes during liver ablation therapy, correlating well with invasive methods.
MRT offers real-time feedback during ablation, helping clinicians optimize treatment and reduce damage to healthy tissue. As a non-invasive method without ionizing radiation, it can also be integrated with advanced simulations to improve therapeutic outcomes. However,
MRT faces challenges such as induction artifacts caused by temperature-related changes in magnetic fields, motion artifacts from respiratory, cardiac, or gastrointestinal movements, and difficulties in achieving high spatial and temporal resolution. Additionally, the computational demands of
MRT and the need for advanced software to analyze MRI signals pose limitations. Variability in patient characteristics and potential side effects further complicate its clinical application. Conclusion: Magnetic resonance thermography (MRT) has significant potential as an important tool in the future treatment of liver cancer. This non-invasive method can accurately monitor tumor temperature during treatment and help optimize ablation areas. Given the complexities of liver anatomy and the challenges of imaging, future research should focus on improving the accuracy of
MRT and addressing its technical limitations in different clinical settings. With technological advances and improved capabilities,
MRT is expected to become a key tool in the treatment of liver cancer, enhancing treatment outcomes and minimizing side effects.
