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.