. 2016 Jul 14;89(1064):20150973. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20150973

Table 1.

Characteristics of the included studies

Study	Study type	Country	Patient selection period	Tumour type	Tumour size	Pre-treatment examinations	RFA technique	Evaluation of post-treatment effect of RFA					Follow-up examination
Study	Study type	Country	Patient selection period	Tumour type	Tumour size	Pre-treatment examinations	RFA technique	Method	Contrast	Time	Number (patients/lesions)	Age (years)	Method	Time
Choi et al 2003¹²	R	Republic of Korea	May 2000–December 2001	Nodular HCC	1.3–4.8 cm	Ultrasound	Real-time ultrasound-guided PRFA	CEUS	SH U 508A	<24 h (14–20 h)	75/81	57 (31–72)	CT	12–32 months
Dill-Macky et al 2006¹³	P	Canada	December 2002–February 2004	HCC of hypervascular lesions	1.5–3.7 cm	Multiphasic CT/dynamic MRI	Sonographic- or CT-guided RFA	CEUS	SH U 508A	<1 h (15–60 min)	19/22	43–83	Multiphasic CT, gadolinium-enhanced dynamic MRI	3–13 months
Du et al 2015¹⁴	P	China	September 2011–January 2013	HCC	0.8–2.9 cm	Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI	Conventional greyscale ultrasound, CEUS-guided PRFA	CEUS	SonoVue	<1 h (20–30 min)	63/78	55 ± 7 (41–67)	Contrast-enhanced MRI	11–29 months
Inoue et al 2013¹⁵	R	Japan	January 2007–December 2011	HCC	16.5 ± 7.1 mm	Dynamic CT	Ultrasound-guided PRFA	CEUS	Sonazoid™	1–3 days	70/86	70.7 ± 7.1	Dynamic CT	873 ± 426 days
Kisaka et al 2006²²	R	Japan	March 2004–August 2004	HCC	1.0–2.9 cm	Ultrasound	Ultrasound-guided PRFA	CEUS with VUS	SH U 508A	3 days	22/26	68.6 ± 8.08	CECT	–
Kisaka et al 2010¹⁶	P	Japan	May 2005–August 2006	HCC	17.0 ± 6.5 mm	CT	Ultrasound-guided PRFA	CEUS with VUS	SH U 508A	3 days	25/25	67.0 ± 8.9	Dynamic CT	1 year
Luo et al 2010¹⁷	P	Japan	February 2007–November 2007	HCC	22 mm (10–30 mm)	3D CECT/CEUS	Real-time ultrasound-guided PRFA	3D CEUS	Sonazoid	1 day	63/63	70 (53–80)	3D CECT	3–21 months
Nishigaki et al 2015¹¹	R	Japan	January 2007–June 2010	HCC	16.7 ± 6.1 mm	CT/MRI	CEUS-guided PRFA	CEUS	Sonazoid	3 h	87/87	71 ± 9		1140 days
Numata et al 2012²³	P	Japan	June 2009–December 2012	HCC	16 mm (10–30 mm)	CECT, fusion imaging combined with CEUS	Real-time ultrasound-guided RFA	Fusion imaging-CEUS	Sonazoid	1 day	67/80	73 (51–84)	CECT	6–24 months
Ricci et al 2009¹⁸	P	–	January 2001–May 2004	HCC	3.7 ± 1.1 cm (2.6–4.8 cm)	Real time contrast-enhanced examination, helical CT	Real-time sonography-guided RFA	Low-mechanical index CEUS	SonoVue	1 month	100/100	62–76	CT	–
Shimizu et al 2004¹⁹	P	Japan	October 2000–June 2001	HCC	10–60 mm	ADI, CECT	RFA	CEUS	SH U 508A	1 day	40/64	66.3 (50–85)	Dynamic CT	–
Zheng et al 2013²⁰	P	China	May 2007–March 2011	HCC	2.4 cm (0.6–5.7 cm)	CECT, CEUS	Ultrasound-guided PRFA	CEUS	SonoVue	1 month	141/221	53.4 (27–81)	CECT, CEUS	1–31 months

3D, three-dimensional; ADI, agent detection imaging; CECT, contrast-enhanced CT; CEUS, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography; HCC, hepatocellular carcinomas; P, prospective; PRFA, percutaneous radiofrequency ablation; R, retrospective; RFA, radiofrequency ablation; VUS, virtual ultrasonography.