MR‐guided laser interstitial thermal therapy in the treatment of recurrent intracranial meningiomas

Objective Recurrent meningiomas can prove problematic for treatment, especially if anaplastic, as options are limited primarily to surgery and radiation therapy. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive technique for achieving immediate cytoreduction. This study seeks to determine the utility of LITT in the setting of recurrent meningiomas. Materials and methods Patients undergoing LITT for tumor treatment at our institution between November 2014 and February 2016 were identified. Those with biopsy-confirmed meningiomas were reviewed with attention to ablation volume, survival, demographic data, and complications. Data from imaging performed at set intervals post-operatively were available for all. Results Four patients were identified, three of whom had successful treatment with a total of four ablations. The one case that did not result in a successful ablation was due to problems with stereotactic placing of the laser catheter. One patient had a grade 1 meningioma, with the other two being Grade 3. Immediate ablation volumes averaged 75% of preoperative tumor volume and increased to 97% at 2 weeks before dropping to 65% at 3 months. One patient had acute hemiparesis with speech difficulty, which resolved after 6 months. At date of last follow-up, two of three had progression at an average of nine weeks, and one had no progression at 28 weeks. Conclusion LITT appeared to be a potentially viable treatment for recurrent meningiomas. Ablation volumes increased over time, but not beyond the initial meningioma volume. Larger studies are needed to better determine complications and outcomes. Lasers Surg. Med. 51:245-250, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.