Personalized Simulation Modeling of Overlapping Microwave Ablation for Large Tumors

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Physics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Large tumors present challenges for effective ablation treatment.
• Personalized treatment strategies are crucial for optimizing outcomes.
• Minimizing collateral thermal damage is essential for patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the advantages of overlapping microwave ablation (OMWA) for large tumor treatment.
• To provide quantitative and technical references for conformal tumor eradication.
• To compare OMWA with single-needle strategies for safety and efficacy.

Main Methods:

• Developed a 3D numerical model integrating electromagnetic fields and Pennes' heat transfer equation.
• Incorporated nonlinear tissue electrical and thermal parameters.
• Simulated temperature distribution and coagulation zone formation for single- and multiple-needle OMWA strategies.
• Validated the model using the LiTS2017 dataset and clinical cases.

Main Results:

• OMWA demonstrated faster thermal accumulation and higher central temperatures.
• Achieved more conformal tumor coverage compared to single-needle methods.
• Significantly reduced thermal damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
• Validated simulation results against clinical and public datasets.

Conclusions:

• OMWA is more efficient and safer than single-needle strategies for large tumors.
• OMWA enables conformal tumor eradication with reduced risk to healthy tissue.
• Results provide valuable references for clinical preoperative planning and parameter optimization.