A new thermal dose model based on Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher behaviour in thermal damage processes

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Therapeutic Technologies
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Thermal dose models quantify tissue response to heat, crucial for hyperthermia and thermal coagulation treatments.
• Current models like CEM43 show limitations and questionable accuracy for temperatures exceeding hyperthermia ranges, leading to overestimated thermal damage.
• Accurate thermal dosimetry is essential for effective thermal therapy modeling, monitoring, and control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a new thermal dose model using an Arrhenius-type, Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher equation.
• To address the limitations of existing models (CEM43) in predicting thermal damage at elevated temperatures.
• To enhance the robustness of thermal dosimetry for improved clinical applications.

Main Methods:

• Developed a novel thermal dose model based on an Arrhenius-type, Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher equation, utilizing published data.
• Evaluated the new model's performance against the current CEM43 model using data from in-vivo skin and ex-vivo liver experiments.
• Compared dose values for equivalent thermal damage thresholds across different experimental conditions.

Main Results:

• The new model produced dose values of the same order of magnitude for identical damage thresholds in in-vivo skin experiments, unlike the two-order-of-magnitude variation with the current model.
• Dose values for equivalent damage thresholds in ex-vivo liver lesions were more consistent with the new model compared to the current model.
• Demonstrated improved consistency and accuracy in thermal damage prediction across different experimental settings.

Conclusions:

• The proposed Arrhenius-type thermal dose model offers a more accurate and consistent approach to thermal dosimetry.
• This new model addresses the shortcomings of existing models at higher temperatures, improving thermal damage prediction.
• The findings support the development of more robust thermal dosimetry for advanced thermal therapy.