Computer Simulation for the Treatment of Liver Cancer by Using Microwave Coaxial Antenna

Abstract

The current treatment for liver cancer has many ways, such as surgery or use of chemotherapy but often the treatments may affect to the patient or treatment is still limited in some respects. Microwave ablation (MWA) is one promising alternative for liver cancer treatment. The objective of this research is study the treatment of liver cancer using microwave heat energy by microwave antenna with using a computer program simulation. The influences of microwave power input, heating time and distance from the microwave antenna on temperature distribution within the liver. This research focuses on the effects of temperature distribution results calculated from a porous media model compared with the results calculated from a bioheat model as well as the experimental results in order to show the validity of the numerical results, nonlinear transient momentum equations (Brinkman model) and transient heat transfer equation and electromagnetic wave propagation equation are solved using the axisymmetric finite element method (FEM). An axially symmetric model is considered in this study. The results are the temperature distribution result of the porous media model is in agreement with experimental data better than bioheat model. Numerical model in this study can be used as basis for the development of liver cancer treatment by using the heat energy from the microwave.