Experimental study on thermal damage to dog normal brain

Abstract

We investigated the temperature changes and their distribution in agar phantoms and dog normal brains induced by 8 MHz radiofrequency interstitial hyperthermia and observed the histological changes, with respect to the neurons and myelinated nerve fibres, induced by the same heat source in dog normal brains. We also examined the change of blood-brain barrier permeability using Evans blue solution. The heating limits of dog normal brain were 42°C for 45 min or 43°C for 15 min and the breakdown of the BBB was observed at 43°C for 60 min.

Key Words:

• Interstitial radiofrequency hyperthermia
• malignant brain tumours
• thermal dose
• heating limit
• blood-brain barrier