Liverpool Hospital in Sydney’s southwest has made medical history by introducing Australia’s first MRI machine capable of performing cryoablation, a groundbreaking treatment that freezes tumours without the need for traditional invasive surgery.
The advanced system uses a gas-powered needle inserted directly into the tumour. Guided by real-time MRI imaging, the device freezes the targeted area into an iceball, destroying cancer cells with exceptional precision. Unlike conventional tumour-removal surgeries, which can require long hospital stays and significant post-operative pain, cryoablation typically allows patients to recover within a single day.
One of the earliest beneficiaries, 64-year-old grandmother Josephine Cordina, had been suffering from intense pain caused by a nine-millimetre spine tumour. Her condition forced her to rely on painkillers just to sleep. Traditional surgery would have required installing screws to stabilise her bone.
Instead, she underwent the new MRI-guided cryoablation procedure — and woke up completely pain-free the next morning.
Dr. Glenn Schlaphoff, Interventional Radiologist at Liverpool Hospital, said the technology is a major leap forward for cancer care, enabling the treatment of tumours in areas such as the spine, liver, and kidneys with minimal recovery time and high accuracy.
The installation of this cutting-edge machine comes as part of Liverpool Hospital’s nearly $1 billion redevelopment, which includes the construction of a new comprehensive cancer centre set to open in 2027.
The breakthrough positions Liverpool Hospital as a national leader in non-invasive cancer treatment and offers new hope to patients across Australia.
