Cryotherapy (also called cryoablation or cryosurgery) uses extreme cold for the treatment of disease. A cryoprobe applies the cold to the selected anatomic area, for example the prostate.

See also Brachytherapy, RF Thermal Ablation, High Intensity Focused Ultrasound and Prostate Ultrasound.

(F) The number of cycles of a periodic process per unit time. Frequency and wavelength are inversely related. The higher the frequency the smaller the wavelength. The frequency of for example ultrasound is expressed in units of hertz (Hz), where 1 Hz = 1 cycle per second.
Usual frequencies in medical imaging are e.g., for ultrasound in the range of 1-20 MHz, for x-rays above 3x10¹⁶ Hz and for gamma rays less than 10²⁰ Hz.

Interventional radiology is an area of clinical subspecialty which uses various radiology techniques (such as fluoroscopy, ultrasound, computed tomography, and MRI procedures) to guide procedures such as a biopsy, inserting catheters, place wires, draining fluids, dilating or stenting narrowed ducts or vessels to diagnose or treat different conditions.

See also CT Guided Biopsy, Angioplasty, Coronary Angiogram and Interventional Ultrasound.

A biopsy is a procedure in which tissue samples are collected. This can be done with a needle, which is inserted into the abnormal area.
An example is the needle breast biopsy. Needle biopsies are usually guided by different imaging techniques like ultrasound, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging. Stereotactic-assisted breast biopsies use computer maps to guide the needle. The location of the breast lump is provided from digital mammograms taken from two angles.
The cells can be removed and examined under a microscope to determine whether the abnormality is cancerous.

See also CT Guided Biopsy.

(Radioactive Seed Implantation Therapy) Brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy in which a sealed source (encapsulated radionuclide) is placed inside the patient as close as possible to the area being treated. The brachytherapy source delivers usually gamma or beta radiation at a distance up to a few centimeters either by surface, intracavitary or interstitial application.

See also Low Dose Rate, Cryotherapy, RF Thermal Ablation and Prostate Ultrasound.