Numerical analysis of microwave and radiofrequency ablations: A novel design for electrode-based radiofrequency ablation

Abstract

Thermal ablation is a treatment modality for liver cancer that utilizes heat to destroy cancerous tissues. The numerical analysis of thermal ablation processes in liver tissue was studied using two different methods: microwave ablation (MWA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The effectiveness of both methods and the thermal characteristics of tumor ablation, including temperature distribution, temporal variation in temperature, volume of ablation, and destruction of cancerous tissue, were investigated. MWA requires less time for complete ablation than RFA and can generate larger ablation zones. Additionally, a novel electrode-based design for RFA, we call it Norfolk pine electrode (NPE), which focuses on ablating large and spherical tumors, has been proposed and analyzed. To the best of our knowledge, the conventional RFA designs, which utilize the Christmas tree electrode and umbrella electrode, are effective in ablating tumors smaller than $3cm$. However, they fail to completely eradicate spherical tumors. Our proposed NPE can fully ablate spherical tumors larger than 3 cm, demonstrating faster and more effective tissue ablation with higher necrosis rates than the conventional umbrella-shaped electrode designs. This NPE could be a promising and practical advancement in the realm of tumor treatment.