Open AccessThermochromic Tissue Phantoms for Evaluating Temperature Distribution in Simulated Clinical Applications of Pulsed Electric Field Therapies
Author(s) -
Michael B. Sano,
Matthew R. DeWitt
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
bioelectricity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2576-3113
pISSN - 2576-3105
DOI - 10.1089/bioe.2020.0023
Subject(s) - materials science , thermochromism , biomedical engineering , imaging phantom , electroporation , electric field , thermal , irreversible electroporation , nuclear medicine , medicine , chemistry , biochemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , meteorology , gene
Background: Irreversible electroporation (IRE) induces cell death through nonthermal mechanisms, however, in extreme cases, the treatments can induce deleterious thermal transients. This study utilizes a thermochromic tissue phantom to enable visualization of regions exposed to temperatures above 60°C. Materials and Methods: Poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels supplemented with thermochromic ink were characterized and processed to match the electrical properties of liver tissue. Three thousand volt high-frequency IRE protocols were administered with delivery rates of 100 and 200 μs/s. The effect of supplemental internal applicator cooling was then characterized. Results: Baseline treatments resulted thermal areas of 0.73 cm 2 , which decreased to 0.05 cm 2 with electrode cooling. Increased delivery rates (200 μs/s) resulted in thermal areas of 1.5 and 0.6 cm 2 without and with cooling, respectively. Conclusions: Thermochromic tissue phantoms enable rapid characterization of thermal effects associated with pulsed electric field treatments. Active cooling of applicators can significantly reduce the quantity of tissue exposed to deleterious temperatures.