INTRODUCTION: Radio frequency ablation (RFA) represents a new technique for local destruction of liver tumors. Indication and procedure are poorly validated at present. METHOD: To record the actual nationwide RFA application in Germany, a survey of 2026 hospitals with standardized questionnaires was conducted. RESULTS: With a respond rate of 17.5%, results from 58 hospitals covering 1700 ablated patients were analyzed. In 25.9% of them, RFA is already used in potentially curative resectable tumors, in 22.4% even when incomplete ablation for tumor mass reduction is expected. Of the 58 hospitals, 75% combine resection and RFA to reach a so-called R-0 situation. The maximal tumor sizes they quoted for achieving complete ablation ranged from
