Interstitial ultrasound heating applicator for MR-guided thermal therapy

Rajiv Chopra, Chris Luginbuhl, Alfred J. Weymouth, F. Stuart Foster, Michael J. Bronskill

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

The ability to control the shape of thermal coagulation was investigated for various interstitial heating applicators incorporating planar transducers and device rotation. Magnetic-resonance-compatible interstitial ultrasound applicators were constructed and the effects of ultrasound power, frequency, scan rate and heating time on lesion radius were studied in heating experiments in excised liver tissue. Continuous thermal lesions were generated by scanning heating applicators over a 180° angular sector. The region of thermal coagulation was restricted to the prescribed sector. Lesion radius increased with acoustic power and heating time and decreased with increasing frequency. The relationship between the temperature distribution generated by the applicator and the resulting thermal lesion was assessed with MRI. Analysis of MR temperature maps revealed that the temperature distribution could be measured accurately within 2 mm from the surface of the applicator, and the boundary of thermal coagulation was defined by a temperature of 54 ± 2 °C. Calculations of temperature distributions indicated that slower scan rates can overcome the tendency of perfusion to reduce the radius of thermal lesion. This applicator design and delivery strategy make conformal interstitial heating possible.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)3133-3145
Number of pages13
JournalPhysics in medicine and biology
Volume46
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2001

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiological and Ultrasound Technology
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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