Thermoacoustic CBE imaging for monitoring microwave ablation of the liver: A feasibility study

Microwave ablation is the most commonly used minimally invasive technique for thermal ablation of liver tumors, and accurate monitoring of the ablation area is crucial for evaluating treatment efficacy. While traditional imaging techniques play an important role in clinical monitoring, they still face several insurmountable challenges. Microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) has emerged as a promising modality for ablation detection due to its high resolution and deep imaging capabilities. To further enhance the effectiveness of TAI in ablation monitoring, we propose a technique based on thermoacoustic changes in backscattered energy (CBE) imaging. This method accurately delineates the liver ablation area by monitoring temperature variations before and after ablation. Experimental results show that thermoacoustic CBE imaging offers significant advantages over traditional TAI, achieving accuracies of 97.12% in ex vivo and 93.46% in in vivo experiments. Its superior resolution makes it an ideal choice for monitoring tissue damage during microwave ablation.