Numerical Modelling of Tumor Ablation Process by Localized Heating with Four Armed Electric Probe and a Comparative Study Between Human Liver and Renal Medulla Tissue

Radio frequency (RF) ablation is a common technique to destroy tumor in human tissue. High energy radio wave is used to heat the tumor cell up to a certain temperature. This technique can be successfully applied to destroy tumor in liver and kidney. In this present study we considered liver and kidney tissue as a three dimensional cylindrical shape geometry and a four armed electric probe is inserted into the tissue and a certain voltage is applied at the electrode thus heat generated from electrical energy and when temperature reaches 45°C to 50°C throughout the tissue region, tumor started to destroy. Original uses RF heating but in our current study we model the ablation process by DC current. The electric current interface, Pennes' bio-heat equation and Arrhenius kinetics equation are used as governing equations for this investigation. The finite element method (FEM) is used to solve the governing equations. Transient analysis has been done up to 10 min and then temperature of the electrode has reached to steady sate. The results of this investigation are presented by electrical potential distribution, temperature distribution and fraction of damaged tissue throughout the FEM region for both liver and renal medulla tissue (the innermost part of the kidney). Significant amount of differences have been noticed between liver and renal medulla tissue during ablation process. It has been found that renal medulla tissue is more sensitive compared to liver tissue during tumor ablation process as the temperature increases dramatically for renal medulla tissue and surgeon should be known to these while performing tumor ablation process because they can include bleeding and damage to the kidney or other nearby organs.