With the vigorous development of modern imaging technology

image-guided thermal ablation plays an irreplaceable role in the treatment of more and more tumors. In this paper

we summarize the basic cytological mechanism of thermal ablation

and introduce the technical mechanisms

advantages

and disadvantages of the five most common thermal ablation modalities including radiofrequency ablation (RFA)

microwave ablation (MWA)

cryoablation (CA)

high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)

and laser ablation in order to guide the further popularization and application of clinical thermal ablation.