RF H-field fluxtubes for safe and controlled hyperthermia

Abstract

A novel low RF frequency hyperthermia applicator is presented. This consists of a toroidal resonator on the conductive wall of which two radial treatment ports are cut away to generate an air gap. This exposes the body part to be treated to the RF magnetic field fluxtube of high density and uniformity that is circulating uninterrupted within the toroidal walls through the air gap. The configuration of the port-body assembly may be adjusted for steering the induced heating field over the target while maintaining the effectual energy coupling with the tissue. The results of the assessment of a 27 MHz high density fluxtube on cylindrical all-muscle and fat-muscle phantoms show that a purely inductive type of heating occurs, which is substantially localized inside the muscle tissue and a water bolus is unnecessary in the absence of stray E-fields. Heating field optimization is accomplished with fluxtube cross-section, pathway and air gap shaping. It is also shown that the superimposition of a uni-directional coherent field created by passive auxiliary electrodes to the fluxtube-induced solenoidal field produces a constructive interference and enhanced and more penetrating localized heating.