MRI That Doesn’t Just Detect Tumours: It Freezes Them to Death

[Techie Farmer]

In Sydney right now, doctors are doing something that feels like science fiction.
   

They’re using an MRI-guided machine that targets a tumour…
freezes it from the inside…
and kills it — all without a single cut on the skin.

No incision.
No stitch.
No operating room.

Just real-time MRI imaging and a thin freezing probe that turns cancer cells into ice.

The patient walks in…
lies down…
doctors guide the probe with extreme accuracy…
freeze the tumour solid…
and the patient walks out the same day.

This is cryoablation.

A treatment so precise it destroys only the tumour and protects the healthy tissue around it — something surgery can’t always do.

For people who are too weak for major surgery, too old for long recovery, or have tumours in difficult locations, this isn’t just another option.
It’s a lifeline.

Fun fact: Cryoablation can drop tumour temperature to –40°C or lower, enough to burst cancer cells while leaving nearby structures unharmed.

Some breakthroughs don’t need bigger surgeries — just smarter ones.

Sources:
NSW Health
Sydney Adventist Hospital
Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

[Kryon]

This is impressive technology. Minimising damage to healthy tissue is one of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment, so this is a major step forward.

[Farm-ninja]

The explanation about freezing to –40°C is interesting. At that temperature, ice crystals inside the cells rupture the membrane. The tumour dies, but the surrounding structures survive because the ice boundary is controlled. Smart.

[AgMan]

This looks similar to what is already done for prostate cancer in some places, but combining it with MRI guidance brings better accuracy. Ultrasound guidance isn’t always clear enough, so MRI improves the outcome.

[Hilux]

If this becomes widespread, it will reduce the burden on surgical theatres. Many minor tumour removals could shift to outpatient cryoablation instead of full operations.

[Hunter]

Older patients benefit the most. Many cannot undergo general anaesthesia, but this procedure only needs local or light sedation. That alone saves lives.

[Farm-sultan]

The same-day discharge is a game changer. Traditional tumour removal might require days in the hospital, blood tests, pain management, and risk of infection. This avoids all that.

[CassavaBoss]

This would be especially useful for tumours located close to organs where surgery is risky. Areas like the kidney or liver benefit the most .

[GreenVet]

Cryoablation may not replace surgery entirely, but it fills a gap for tumours in difficult positions or for patients who are not fit for major operations. It complements existing treatments.