Present and future status of noninvasive selective deep heating using RF in hyperthermia

To achieve hyperthermia using electromagnetic energy, RF of under 100 MHz is basically suitable for the external heating of the deep portions of the body. For applicators using such RF, the following types are considered: capacitive, inductive, radiative and hybrid. With radiative applicators, the intensity of the EM waves radiated from the applicator decreases with propagation into the material to be heated, but the phased annular array of radiative applicators potentially increases the intensity of the EM energy in the deep portion owing to the interference of the waves. Using this method, the focusing of EM energy depends on the dielectric properties of the material to be heated. With respect to RF heating at a lower frequency than the RF used for the annular phased array, some devices have been said to concentrate EM energy in the deep portions, where the characteristics of 'wave' are not utilised. To this end, some methods using capacitive electrodes, an inductive coil, or a combination of both, are being designed. The results of using such methods have shown that it is possible to supply sufficient EM energy to the muscle layers deep in the material to be heated, without heating the fat layers excessively.