Numerical simulations of heating patterns and tissue temperature response due to high-intensity focused ultrasound

TLDR

The simulations employ a nonlinear parabolic sound propagation equation coupled with the bio‑heat equation, and high initial pressures in HIFU transducers trigger shock formation during wave propagation in tissue. Nonlinear shock formation in HIFU increases local heating at the focus, yielding a higher localized thermal impact than linear theory predicts, and the presence of a blood vessel alters the spatial distribution of heating rate and temperature.

Abstract

The results of this paper show-for an existing high intensity, focused ultrasound (HIFU) transducer-the importance of nonlinear effects on the space/time properties of wave propagation and heat generation in perfused liver models when a blood vessel also might be present. These simulations are based on the nonlinear parabolic equation for sound propagation and the bio-heat equation for temperature generation. The use of high initial pressure in HIFU transducers in combination with the physical characteristics of biological tissue induces shock formation during the propagation of a therapeutic ultrasound wave. The induced shock directly affects the rate at which heat is absorbed by tissue at the focus without significant influence on the magnitude and spatial distribution of the energy being delivered. When shocks form close to the focus, nonlinear enhancement of heating is confined in a small region around the focus and generates a higher localized thermal impact on the tissue than that predicted by linear theory. The presence of a blood vessel changes the spatial distribution of both the heating rate and temperature.