Local thermal non-equilibrium bioheat transfer model for interstitial hyperthermia treatment of tumour cell: A numerical approach

Cancer treatment is achieved by destroying the damaged tissue with precise heating, which may be internally or externally on a human body. Thus, tracking the temperature at the targeted site during thermal therapy is essential to avoid unnecessary damage to the neighbouring tissues. Therefore, to avoid difficulties in the experimental in-vivo analysis of the human body, more and more priority has been given to computational modelling. Dual-phase lag bioheat transfer modelling is one that pioneers the biological heat transfer problem to a new horizon where the non-Fourier approach makes the model near realistic. The present paper has developed a numerical model based on the Local Thermal Non-Equilibrium Bioheat Transfer model, as the phase lag values directly depend on the biological tissues' thermophysical properties. Besides the effect of vasodilation and vasoconstriction, metabolic heat generation, as well as muscle shivering, are also considered in the present numerical model. A modified spatial Gaussian heat distribution function has been adapted to model the external heat source and destroy the targeted tissue inside the skin layers. A numerical code is developed using MATLAB in a finite difference approach, which can evaluate the temperature data in an anisotropic medium like human skin. A detailed 2D analysis has been done in different therapeutic conditions, various levels of doses, and different body positions during interstitial hyperthermia treatment. Analysis of biological tissue using the LTNE DPL bioheat transfer equation has not been reported for thermal therapy. Outcomes of the present study give an overview of the range of thermal dose, environmental effect on the treatment of cancer cells, and, most notably, the comparison with Fourier and Local Thermal Equilibrium Non-Fourier models.

Automated summary

Temperature tracking is crucial in cancer treatment to avoid damage to neighboring tissues. Computational modeling is increasingly used to overcome experimental difficulties in vivo. This paper presents a numerical model based on the Local Thermal Non-Equilibrium (LTNE) Bioheat Transfer model, considering the thermophysical properties of biological tissues and various factors. MATLAB is used to develop a numerical code that can evaluate temperature data in an anisotropic medium like human skin. The study provides insights into the range of thermal dose, the environmental impact on cancer cell treatment, and the comparison with other models such as Fourier and Local Thermal Equilibrium Non-Fourier models.