3D electromagnetic modelling of new loco-regional hyperthermia applicator coupled with high resolution patient specific phantom

ABSTRACT

Hyperthermia in oncology means exposing tumour to high-temperature in order to sensitize it to the main therapy modalities. There are a few clinical radio frequency-based phased-array applicators, named loco-regional hyperthermia (LHT) systems, to deliver hyperthermia to deep-seated tumours noninvasively. In the current study, a new dipole-based two ring LHT applicator was proposed and its specific absorption rate (SAR) characteristics were compared with clinical Sigma-60 system. It was demonstrated that the proposed applicator improves SAR focusing and SAR delivering capability compared to Sigma-60 applicator. However, the operating frequency of proposed applicator is higher than that of Sigma-60; therefore, higher fraction of applied energy is absorbed in less deep tissues and there is increased possibility of hot-spot occurrence compared to using Sigma-60.

KEYWORDS:

• Hyperthermia applicator
• loco-regional hyperthermia
• electromagnetic modelling
• specific absorption rate calculation
• patient specific phantom

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Vahed Moharramzadeh

Vahed Moharramzadeh is currently a PhD candidate on medical radiation engineering in Shiraz university, Shiraz, Iran. He educated in solid state physics in 2010 from Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran and in MSc in medical radiation engineering from Amirkabir University (Polytechnic) of Tehran. Since 2012 he has been studying in PhD degree of medical radiation engineering in Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

Reza Faghihi

Reza Faghihi is currently an associate professor in radiation medicine group of Shiraz University. He educated in electrical engineering from Shiraz University in 1994 and in MSc in radiation medicine in 1997 from Amirkabir University of Tehran. In 2002 he received his PhD degree in medical physics from Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, France. His interests are different medical applications of radiation.