Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) involves the use of:

• A. Cold.
• B. Heat.
• C. Lasers.
• D. Microwaves.

Answer: (B)

RFA destroys tissue by heating it. A probe delivers high‑frequency electrical current into the target, and the ions in the tissue move and collide, converting electrical energy into heat. When the tissue heats to roughly 50–100°C, proteins denature and cells undergo coagulative necrosis, creating a defined ablation zone. This thermal mechanism is why heating is the correct answer. Other methods use different energy forms: freezing in cryoablation, light energy in lasers, and microwave energy in microwave ablation, all of which involve heating by different physical processes but are not the same as radiofrequency–induced resistive heating.