A new method for thermal dosimetry in microwave hyperthermia using microwave radiometry for temperature control

Abstract

Microwave radiometry has been used during the last few years in some clinical centres (Lille, Freiburg, Strasbourg, Brussels) for the non-invasive control of temperature during microwave hyperthermia. The principal objective of this paper is to present an atraumatic thermal dosimetry system based on numerical simulations of hyperthermia and radiometric temperature measurements for TEM propagation. To gauge the feasibility and performance of the method, a one-dimensional model in a homogeneous medium is considered, neglecting the curvature of the tissue layer. The good correlation between the theoretical and experimental values obtained allowed the likely thermal profile on the probe axis to be computed using the dielectric and thermal properties of the medium and measurement of the radiometric and cutaneous temperatures.

Key Words:

• microwave hyperthermia
• radiometry
• thermal dosimetry