Kyungdu Song
Sungkyunkwan University · Medicine
About the Lab
Professor Kyungdu Song's research lab specializes in interventional radiology and image-guided ablation therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), with a focus on improving the accuracy, feasibility, and outcomes of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and cryoablation. The lab investigates advanced medical imaging techniques—particularly US/MRI and CT fusion imaging—to enhance lesion visibility and targeting in small or subcentimeter HCCs that are difficult to detect with conventional ultrasound. Key research directions include predicting microvascular invasion risk, optimizing treatment selection between surgical resection and ablation, and evaluating long-term survival and recurrence outcomes. The lab also explores novel imaging biomarkers, such as dual-energy CT for renal mass characterization, to support personalized cancer management.
Research Overview
Research Output Trend
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Selected Papers
15OBJECTIVE: We compared surgical resection (SR) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) as first-line treatment in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on the risk of microvascular invasion (MVI). BACKGROUND: The best curative treatment modality between SR and RFA in patients with HCC with MVI remains unclear. METHODS: Data from 2 academic cancer center-based cohorts of patients with a single, small (≤3 cm) HCC who underwent SR were used to derive (n = 276) and validate (n = 101) predicti
The long-term OS and DFS were not significantly different between repeated hepatic resection and RF ablation for patients with recurrent HCC after hepatic resection.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to assess whether fusion imaging of conventional ultrasound and liver CT or MR images can improve the conspicuity of lesions and feasibility of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) not visible on ultrasound. Whether peritumoral anatomic landmarks can be used for the placement of an electrode in HCCs not visible on ultrasound even after image fusion was also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plan
Our results show that dual-energy CT using iodine overlay techniques and virtual unenhanced images may be useful for characterizing renal masses.
Purpose To evaluate the technical feasibility and therapeutic outcomes of percutaneous US/MRI fusion-guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of recurrent subcentimeter-sized hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Materials and Methods For this retrospective study, between January 2012 and December 2014 a total of 194 planning US examinations were performed in 186 patients (159 men and 27 women; mean age, 61.1 years ± 10.0 [standard deviation]) for newly developed subcentimeter recurrent HCCs. These recu
Local ablation therapy is considered as a conventional treatment option for patients with early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although radiofrequency (RF) ablation is widely used for HCC, the use of cryoablation has been increasing as newer and safer cryoablation systems have developed. The thermodynamic mechanism of freezing and thawing used in cryoablation is the Joule-Thomson effect. Cryoablation destroys tissue via direct tissue destruction and vascular-related injury. A few recent c
OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to compare the indirect MR arthrographic findings of patients with adhesive capsulitis and patients without adhesive capsulitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Indirect MR arthrograms of 35 patients (21 women, 14 men; mean age, 50.1 years) diagnosed with adhesive capsulitis clinically were compared with indirect MR arthrograms of 45 patients (23 women, 22 men; mean age, 48.9 years) without adhesive capsulitis. Joint capsule thickness in the axillary recess and t
Pulmonary cryptococcosis most commonly appears as clustered nodules and is a slowly progressive and slowly resolving pulmonary infection. In two-thirds of patients, lung lesions show high FDG uptake, thus simulating a possible malignant condition.
Although OS was not significantly different between patients who had gone hepatic resection or percutaneous RF ablation for HCCs abutting the diaphragm, DFS was better in the hepatic resection group.
Deep learning is one of the most popular artificial intelligence techniques used in the medical field. Although it is at an early stage compared to deep learning analyses of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, studies applying deep learning to ultrasound imaging have been actively conducted. This review analyzes recent studies that applied deep learning to ultrasound imaging of various abdominal organs and explains the challenges encountered in these applications.
DCE-MRI is feasible in the orthotopic mouse model of human HCC, and it can noninvasively monitor brivanib-induced changes in tumor microvasculature.
OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of combined transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in terms of the frequency of aggressive intrasegmental recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-one patients (43 men and 18 women; mean [± SD] age, 65.8 ± 8.6 years; age range, 44-82 years) with 71 HCCs (mean [± SD] size, 2.8 ± 0.9 cm; range, 0.7-4.2 cm) underwent combined TACE and RFA. Aggressive intrasegmental recu
Research Areas
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