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ChE141 Heat and

Mass Transfer
Study and design of cylindrical and spherical thermoseeds for cancer
treatment using Comsol Multiphysics
Dunie Navarro
3/14/2013
Prof. Daniel Lepek

Introduction
Thermal ablation consists of heat treatments of cancerous tumors delivered at temperatures above
50C for shorts periods of time. Its result is to terminate entire tumors, killing malignant cells and
avoiding its effect on healthy tissue. The principle of operation of thermal ablation is to concentrate
thermal energy to create a hyperthermic injury by using a needle-like applicator [1]. Thermal ablation is
mainly used when surgery is not recommended on a patient. Its application is effective, low cost and can
provide relief or cure completely from cancer.
The project at hand focuses on the application of thermal ablation using small spheres made of
ferromagnetic material. A magnetic field induces a volumetric generation of thermal energy in the
thermoseeds, increasing the seed temperature and its surroundings.
First, a spherical thermoseed will be modeled to analyze the heat transfer behavior to the
surrounding of the ferromagnetic material, cancerous tissue. Properties of the spherical thermoseed are
given in Table 1.
Table 1 Thermosphere Properties
Parameters Values
Thermoseed thermal conductivity (W/m-K) 10
Tissue thermal conductivity (W/m-K) 0.5
Sphere radius (mm) 1
Body temperature (C) 37
Total energy generated (W) 1.0

To model heat transfer behavior of the spherical thermoseed consider Poissons Equation [2]:

(1)
Considering heat transfer in the radial direction in spherical coordinates,

(2)
The equation above can be solved analytically or numerically by the finite difference method of the finite
element method with the boundary conditions

(B.C 1)
( )

(B.C 2)
Using Comsol Multiphysics software package, heat transfer equations to model heat transfer
behavior are built in and readily solved using algorithms with standard numerical methods implemented.
Second, a new design for a thermoseed needed to be analyzed for similar heat transfer behavior to
the spherical thermoseed. A cylindrical thermoseed is the proposed design to treat cancerous tissue. From
the given radius of the sphere, volumetric and surface area constants are calculated. To determine the
length and radius of the cylinder, the surface area and volume formulas are set equal to the spherical
volume and surface area constants. A system of two equations for r and L can be solved; giving
appropriates values of the radius and length of the cylinder. The thermocylinder properties are given in
Table 2.
Table 2 Thermocylinder Properties
Parameters Values
Thermoseed thermal conductivity (W/m-K) 10
Tissue thermal conductivity (W/m-K) 0.5 (Humans), 0.32 (Rats)
Cylinder radius (mm) 1.225

Body temperature (C) 37
Total energy generated (W) 1.0
Cylinder length (mm) 1.633

To model heat transfer behavior of the cylindrical thermoseed consider Poissons Equation:

(1)
Considering heat transfer in the radial direction in cylindrical coordinates,

(2)
The equation above can be solved analytically or numerically by the finite difference method of the finite
element method with the boundary conditions

(B.C 1)
( )

(B.C 2)

The boundary conditions are identical for both geometries since both possess axisymmetric properties,
given at the center of the body. Cylindrical systems are readily solved in Comsol Multiphysics using the
required 2-D axisymmetric space.

















Methods
Designs of a thermosphere and thermocylinder for treating cancerous tumors due to heat
generation were modeled using Comsol Multiphysics. The thermosphere concept had been implemented
as the current geometrical design of the medical device. The thermocylinder geometry needed to be
modeled as a possible competitor to the spherical thermoseed.
The spherical thermoseed was modeled using 3D space model, Heat Transfer in Solids Physics
and Stationary Study Type. The chosen Geometry for the thermoseed-tissue system consisted of two
concentric spheres, inner sphere being the thermoseed and outer sphere being the tissue. Two Materials
were created to assign thermal properties to the geometries; mainly the materials thermal conductivities.
The Heat Transfer in Solids tab was modified to include a heat source in the inner sphere and a
temperature boundary condition in the surface of the outer sphere. To compute the set study, an Extra
Fine mesh was selected to give precise results depending on memory. In the Study tab the computation
was started to compute the required temperatures in the system. Using the methods to plot graphs from
the Results tab, all required quantities were plotted or computed accordingly. To compute the maximum
temperature in the tissue, the Derived Values tab was used and the extent of the lesion was computed by
trial and error using temperature measurements at a point.
To model the thermocylinder, all of the above steps were followed excepted for Geometry, where
two concentric cylinders were built and thermal conductivities assigned to each medium. Two studies
were set, Humans and Rats, to keep study results independent from each other.

Results and Discussion
Part I
Two geometries of ferromagnetic thermoseeds were characterized using heat transfer methods in
Comsol Multiphysics. In Part I, heat transfer in a spherical thermoseed was analyzed given certain
requirements of its geometry. The surface temperature profile and specified geometry of the thermoseed
inside tissue are presented in Figure 1.
Fig 1 Geometry and Surface Temperature of Spherical Thermoseed

The temperature scale on the right illustrates the profile starting in the top being the core
temperature and moving outwards to the set surface temperature. As heat is generated in the thermoseed,
it reaches the interface of the tissue and the thermoseed lowering temperature and dropping towards the
surface. Symmetry in the geometry guarantees ease to resolve the model equations in order to provide a
resultant temperature profile. Uniform distribution of the energy in the thermoseed is preserved as heat
transfer to the tissue given the possibility of heat traveling in all possible directions uniformly. From the
given surface profile it is inferred that temperature drops smoothly, avoiding sudden drops in temperature
to satisfy the boundary condition of body temperature at the surface of the tissue. To confirm the
proposed hypothesis, temperature profiles in the thermoseed and tissue regions were plotted in Comsol
from the study results. The temperature within the thermoseed is presented in Figure 2.
Fig 2 Temperature Profile in the Thermoseed

Temperature in the thermoseed drops steadily and slow due to its thermal conductivity and heat
generation within its material. Temperature drops from 457.5K to 453.4K (184.5-180.25 C) as given
above illustrating the low resistance to heat conduction within the ferromagnetic material. The shape of
the temperature drop is parabolic indicating a polynomial drop.
The temperature profile in tissue is presented in Figure 3. Given that the thermal conductivity of
tissue is twenty times lower than the thermoseed, its temperature drops exponentially up to the surface of
the tissue. The profile is characteristic of materials with similar thermal conductivities and boundary
conditions. From the plot, a maximum temperature and minimum temperature in the tissue region can be
calculated and considered as limits to the temperature profile. The value of maximum temperature at the
interface of the thermoseed and tissue is highly relevant given that tumors are to be treated at a specific
temperature.
Fig 3 Temperature Profile in Tissue

The heat flux through the tissue is provided in Figure 4 providing a measure of the transfer of
thermal energy in the tissue surrounding the thermoseed. For each temperature difference in the system,
heat flows from high to low temperature and its conduction is resisted by the thermal conductivity of the
material. Heat flux drops exponentially 85000 W/m
2
to zero after reaching the surface of the tissue in the
model. The total heat flux decreases as it flows from the thermoseed-tissue interface to the outer surface
of the system. From the given heat flux, temperature differences at different radius can be determined
since for each flux interval, a temperature difference exists. Interest in temperature differences is
considered when an intermediate temperature in the material needs to be determined. An intermediate
temperature of interest in the system is the lethal temperature for tissue, T
lethal
, the temperature at which
cancer tissue is efficiently treated. Along with this temperature, the maximum temperature, T
max
, in the
tissue needs to be determined as an upper bound for T
lethal.
Fig 4 Heat Flux within Thermoseed

The maximum temperature, T
max
, and the extent of lesion r
lesion
, radial location of at where the
tissue temperature reaches the lethal temperature, can be computed as functions of the thermal energy
generation (in W). The thermal heat generation can be allowed to change in order to calculate the
maximum temperature and r
lesion
.
Maximum temperature and extent of the lesion in the tissue region are plotted in Figure 5 as
functions of the rate of thermal energy generation,

(W). As heat generation increases for values in the


range of 0.1-1.5 W, the temperature increases linearly proportional and the extent of lesion
logarithmically. It is logical that for higher heat generation, the thermoseed-tissue interface has a higher
temperature than for lower heat generation values. The same increase in heat generation causes the lethal
temperature for cancer tissue to shift farther away from the thermoseed giving a greater range of treatment
for tissue according to energy input. In the specific case of energy generation of 1 W, the maximum
computed temperature is 453.3K while the extent of lesion is located at r
lesion
= 5.5 mm from the interface.
Fig 5 Maximum Temperature and Extent of Lesion (Spherical Thermoseed)

Part II
The second geometry considered as a medium for analysis of the heat transfer behavior of
ferromagnetic materials to treat cancer tissue was cylindrical. A thermocylinder, a cylindrical thermoseed,
was designed to behave similarly to the spherical thermoseed previously studied. Two studies of the
proposed geometry were carried according to parameters (thermal conductivity) for two tissue mediums
(humans and rats). The cancer tissue of medium of rats is considered to model heat transfer behavior since
clinical trials are carried on rats before human trials. The quantities previously considered in the spherical
thermoseed are now analyzed for a cylindrical thermoseed.
A surface temperature and geometry of the thermocylinder design for humans and rats is given in
Figure 6 and 7. Heat generation within the thermocylinder is produced in the center and heat flux travels
to the surface through human and rat tissue. The temperature scale on the right provides ranges of values
for the different colors being hotter in the center and colder towards the surface.
0 0.5 1 1.5
0
200
400
M
a
x
i
m
u
m

T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
(
o
C
)
0 0.5 1 1.5
0
5
10
E
x
t
e
n
t

o
f

l
e
s
i
o
n

(
m
m
)
Heat Generation (W)
Maximum Temperature and Extent of Lesion in Spherical Thermoseed

Fig 6 Thermocylinder Surface Temperature (Humans)

Fig 7 Thermocylinder Surface Temperature (Rats)

Given the variations in thermal conductivity, being lower for rats tissue, the temperature in the
thermocylinder and the tissue surrounding it is higher for rats. A difference of 70K is present between
these two tissue mediums, a relevant difference that cannot be ignored in the design. Nonetheless, the
difference is accounted for in the thermal conductivity of the tissue, where its value is constant. The
temperature profile within the cylindrical thermoseed was computed for comparison to the spherical
design.
Temperature profiles for the cylindrical thermoseed in human and rat tissue were plotted as
solution to the temperature variation in the ferromagnetic material in Figures 8 and 9. The temperature
values for the thermocylinder surrounded by the rat tissue are higher than for human tissue. A low thermal
conductivity in the surrounding medium of the thermocylinder causes a higher temperature at steady-
state, but its heat transfer behavior is identical to higher thermal conductivity values. The heat transfer
behavior in the human tissue is identical to the spherical thermoseed.
Fig 8 Temperature Profile in Thermocylinder (Humans)


Fig 9 Temperature Profile in Thermocylinder (Rats)

Temperature results in the tissue of rats and humans differ in the higher temperature observed for
surrounding cancerous tissue of rats. The behavior of the temperature through the tissue is exponentially
dropping to its surface temperature, provided by the boundary condition. The temperature profile
behavior is identical to the spherical thermoseed; accordingly if thermal conductivity changes, the
temperature profile changes. The discussed profiles are provided in Figures 10 and 11. The temperature
profiles in the cancerous tissue of humans and rats offers critical values in the treatment of the tissue. A
maximum temperature and a lethal temperature for tissue need to be computed in order to assess the
efficiency of the treatment. The maximum temperature is to be located in the tissue and ferromagnetic-
material interface, where heat generation causes the highest temperature in the system. The lethal
temperature at a desired radius value can be computed by locating the radius for the desired temperature
of T
lethal
. The location of this temperature, r
lesion
, is the needed value to evaluate the range of effectiveness
of the thermocylinder.
Fig 10 Temperature Profile in Human Tissue


Fig 11 Temperature Profile in Rats Tissue

The heat flux through the tissue surrounding the thermocylinder was computed to analyze the
behavior of the rate of heat transfer per unit area. Heat flux drops as radius increases for the given
geometry. Behavior in the cylindrical thermoseed matches the behavior in the spherical thermoseed since
their surface areas for heat flux are nearly identical. Given that heat flux is dependent of thermal
conductivity, the heat flux in rat tissue behaves identically to the flux in human tissue. Figures 12 and 13
provide evidence of the drop of the heat transfer flux through the thermocylinder. Heat flux near the
interface of the materials is high but it drops quickly 1 mm away from the interface. Consequently, heat
flux in both tissue mediums behaves in a similar fashion to the temperature profiles given above. Heat
flux is controlled by temperature differences within the material. Thus, the heat flux profile can be
predicted from a calculated temperature profile, if it werent readily available. The effectiveness of the
treatment depends on how fast thermal energy can reach the cancerous tissue and effectively heat it to
cause its failure.

Fig 12 Thermocylinder Heat Flux (Humans)


Fig 13 Thermocylinder Heat Flux (Rats)

As considered in the spherical thermoseed design, two critical temperature values are needed to
characterize the effectiveness of the design. Maximum temperature and the location of the lethal
temperature provide an upper bound in tissue temperature and the reach of the medical device to give a
lethal treatment to the cancerous tissue. The location of the maximum temperature is at the interface of
the heat generation source and the heat receiver medium. An evaluation of temperature at the radius of the
thermocylinder provided the desired temperature, being a maximum in the tissue. The lethal temperature
was located by approaching the temperature using radius values. For the given heat generation of 1 W,
the maximum temperature in human tissue was 442.6K (170C), and the extent of lesion was 5.1 mm
which closely agrees with the thermosphere. In contrast, the maximum temperature in rat tissue was
found to be 516.5K (243C) and the extent of lesion was 6.2 mm. Discrepancies in these values are
inferred to be from differences in thermal conductivities within the tissue. Results are provided in Figures
14 and 15.
Fig 14 Maximum Temperature and Extent of Lesion (Humans)


Fig 15 Maximum Temperature and Extent of Lesion (Rats)

0 0.5 1 1.5
0
200
400
M
a
x
i
m
u
m

T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
(
o
C
)
0 0.5 1 1.5
0
200
400
M
a
x
i
m
u
m

T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
(
o
C
)
0 0.5 1 1.5
0
5
10
E
x
t
e
n
t

o
f

l
e
s
i
o
n

(
m
m
)
Heat Generation (W)
Max Temperature and Extent of Lesion in Cyl Thermoseed (Humans)
0 0.5 1 1.5
0
200
400
M
a
x
i
m
u
m

T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
(
o
C
)
0 0.5 1 1.5
0
200
400
M
a
x
i
m
u
m

T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
(
o
C
)
0 0.5 1 1.5
0
100
200
300
400
M
a
x
i
m
u
m

T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
(
o
C
)
0 0.5 1 1.5
0
2
4
6
8
E
x
t
e
n
t

o
f

l
e
s
i
o
n

(
m
m
)
Heat Generation (W)
Max Temperature and Extent of Lesion in Cyl Thermoseed (Rats)
Conclusions
Heat transfer behavior of a cylindrical thermoseed was analyzed using Comsol Multiphysics to
determine its compatibility with the spherical thermoseed to treat cancerous tissue. The data and analysis
collected on the thermocylinder design meets the required specifications in order to behave as the
working design of the spherical thermoseed. Temperature profiles for the thermocylinder in the
ferromagnetic material and tissue regions agree with the thermosphere device. Accordingly, heat transfer
flux behavior of the cylindrical design matches the behavior of the thermosphere. The maximum
temperature and extent of lesion in the thermocylinder agree fairly with the thermosphere values.
Consequently, a cylindrical thermoseed can be implemented as replacement to the spherical thermoseed
since manufacturing of the new design can be easier than a sphere and meets the required heat transfer
behavior.

References

[1] Huang, Huang-Wen and Chihng-Tsung Liauh. "Review: Therapeutical Applications of Heat in Cancer
Therapy." Journal of Medical and Biological Engineering (2011): 1-11.
[2] Welty, James R., et al. Fundamentals of Momentum, Heat and Mass Transfer. New York: John Wiley
& Sons, Inc, 2008.



Appendix
Data Collection: Maximum Temperature and Extent of Lesion
1. Spherical Thermoseed

()

()

()
0 273.15 0
0.1 324.47 1.1
0.2 338.79 1.9
0.3 353.10 2.7
0.4 367.42 3.3
0.5 381.74 3.8
0.6 396.06 4.2
0.7 410.37 4.6
0.8 424.69 4.9
0.9 439.01 5.2
1.0 453.33 5.5
1.1 467.64 5.7
1.2 481.96 5.9
1.3 496.60 6.1
1.4 510.59 6.3
1.5 524.91 6.5

2. Cylindrical Thermoseed (Humans)

()

()

()
0 273.15 0
0.1 323.40 1.2
0.2 336.65 1.9
0.3 349.89 2.6
0.4 363.15 3.1
0.5 376.39 3.6
0.6 389.64 4.0
0.7 402.89 4.3
0.8 416.14 4.6
0.9 429.39 4.8
1.0 442.64 5.1
1.1 455.88 5.3
1.2 469.14 5.5
1.3 482.38 5.7
1.4 495.63 5.9
1.5 508.88 6.1



2. Cylindrical Thermoseed (Rats )

()

()

()
0 273.15 0
0.1 330.78 1.6
0.2 351.41 2.6
0.3 372.04 3.4
0.4 392.67 4.0
0.5 413.30 4.5
0.6 433.93 4.9
0.7 454.56 5.3
0.8 475.19 5.6
0.9 495.83 5.9
1.0 516.45 6.1
1.1 537.08 6.4
1.2 557.71 6.6
1.3 578.35 6.8
1.4 598.98 6.9
1.5 619.61 7.1

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