TABLE. Overview of currently available image-guided interventional techniques for local tumor therapy and their possible indications (source: the authors).

Technique		Organ	Indications*
Percutaneous direct injection	PEI/PAI	Liver	HCC ≤ 3 cm (4)
		Other	Decision in individual cases (obsolete)
Transarterial embolization	TACE/TAE	Liver	Inoperable HCC (4), cholangiocellular carcinoma, neuroendocrine tumors, uveal melanoma (colorectal carcinoma, carcinoma of the breast)
		Bones	(Preoperative)
		Kidney	Tumor hemorrhage, before thermoablation, (preoperative)
		Other	Decision in individual cases
Thermoablation	RFA	Liver	Inoperable HCC with ≤ 3 foci (4), multifocal metastases ≤ 3.5 cm, unifocal metastasis ≤ 5 cm (e85)
		Lung	≤ 3 metastases per lung, all of which are ≤ 3 cm (inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer)
		Kidney	Tumor ≤ 5 cm in a single kidney, von Hippel-Lindau disease, multiple tumors
		Bones	Osteoid osteoma, symptomatic bony metastases
		Other	Decision in individual cases/experimental
	LITT	Liver	See RFA
		Other	Decision in individual cases/experimental
	Microwave ablation	All	Experimental
	Cryotherapy	All	Experimental
	Focused ultrasound	All	Experimental
Internal radiotherapy	SIRT	Liver	After failure or exclusion of all other treatment options (salvage)
	Interstitial brachytherapy	All	Experimental

*Indications in parentheses are currently debated.

PAI, percutaneous acetic acid injection; TAE, transarterial embolization; PEI, percutaneous ethanol injection; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; TACE, transarterial chomoembolization; RFA, radiofrequency ablation; LITT, laser-induced thermotherapy; SIRT, selective internal radiotherapy