Numerical Analysis of Electromagnetically Induced Heating and Bioheat Transfer for Magnetic Fluid Hyperthermia

Abstract

In this paper, we study the computational modeling of electromagnetically induced heating in magnetic fluid hyperthermia. Owing to the Brownian rotation and Neel relaxation of induced magnetic moments, ferrofluids can generate heat when exposed to an alternating current magnetic field. To destroy all tumors cells while preventing deleterious physiological responses, input parameters such as the frequency and intensity of magnetic fields and the complex susceptibility of ferrofluids should be determined precisely. In this paper, a solution to Maxwell’s equation for a model of a tumor and its neighboring tissues are coupled as input to Penne’s bioheat equation. Both sets of equations are solved using the finite element analysis method with perfectly matched layers for isothermal boundary conditions in COMSOL. We use a bilayered spherical model with blood perfusion and metabolism to simulate the temperature distribution in tumor regions during hyperthermia therapy. Power density due to electromagnetic field simulation serves as input to the bioheat transfer equation and determines the heat generated by the ferrofluids. The obtained results indicate that tumor regions are heated without adversely affecting healthy regions.