Spatial and temporal-controlled tissue heating on a modified clinical ultrasound scanner for generating mild hyperthermia in tumors

IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 2010 Jan;57(1):155-66. doi: 10.1109/TBME.2009.2029703.

Abstract

A new system is presented for generating controlled tissue heating with a clinical ultrasound scanner, and initial in vitro and in vivo results are presented that demonstrate both transient and sustained heating in the mild-hyperthermia range of 37 ( degrees )C-42 ( degrees )C. The system consists of a Siemens Antares ultrasound scanner, a custom dual-frequency three-row transducer array and an external temperature feedback control system. The transducer has two outer rows that operate at 1.5 MHz for tissue heating and a center row that operates at 5 MHz for B-mode imaging to guide the therapy. We compare the field maps obtained using a hydrophone against calculations of the ultrasound beam based on monochromatic and linear assumptions. Using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, we compare predicted time-dependent thermal profiles to measured profiles for soy tofu as a tissue-mimicking phantom. In vitro results show differential heating of 6 ( degrees )C for chicken breast and tofu. In vivo tests of the system were performed on three mice bearing Met-1 tumors, which is a model of aggressive, metastatic, and highly vascular breast cancer. In superficially implanted tumors, we demonstrate controlled heating to 42 ( degrees )C. We show that the system is able to maintain the temperature to within 0.1 ( degrees )C of the desired temperature both in vitro and in vivo.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chickens
  • Hyperthermia, Induced / instrumentation
  • Hyperthermia, Induced / methods*
  • Meat
  • Mice
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / diagnostic imaging*
  • Soy Foods
  • Ultrasonic Therapy / instrumentation
  • Ultrasonic Therapy / methods*
  • Ultrasonography