Numerical two-dimensional thermal analysis of the human skin using the multigrid method

Gylles Ricardo Stroher,Cosmo Damião Santiago

doi:10.4025/actascitechnol.v42i1.40992

Gylles Ricardo Stroher, Cosmo Damião Santiago

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4025/actascitechnol.v42i1.40992

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Abstract

Heat can be used as an adjuvant treatment of many diseases and also as a powerful tool to help diagnose cancers, with the advantage to be a noninvasive exam. Some tumors may be best diagnosed by evaluating body temperature distribution, for instance, it is observed that local temperatures of the skin over a tumor are higher than the average skin temperature. Certainly, it is expected from medical diagnostics to be, early, fast and very precise. Especially if the health problem is a tumor, it is necessary to know the shape and the size of the cancer. Thermal images can provide further information about the tumor, generally, the thermal diagnostic is made comparing images of the region with a bioheat model. In this context, the present study shows interesting results about the multigrid method applied to solve the Pennes bioheat equation in two dimensions, using a non-stationary and steady state cases for the skin heath and with melanoma. The multigrid method presented itself as an extremely efficient and fast tool to solve the bioheat equation with refined grids that provide good spatial precision.

Highlights

IntroductionThe use of heat for therapeutic purposes dates back to ancient times
Krawczyk et al (2011) suggest that high temperatures destroy enzymes that hinder the action of drugs that attack the disease, indicating that heat properly combined with some drugs improve the efficacy of chemotherapy
This section is divided into three parts, the first presents the performance of the multigrid method, and the second presents the results about the verification of the numerical solution method, and the last shows the results of simulations when a region of the skin presents a malign melanoma tumor embedded in the skin tissue

Summary

Introduction

The use of heat for therapeutic purposes dates back to ancient times. Romans, Greeks and other ancient people used it to treat various types of diseases and muscle problems (Ströher & Ströher, 2014). Heat is used as an adjuvant treatment, and even as the main treatment tool. For instance, as a passive therapy in the treatment of pain and as an adjuvant treatment, and sometimes complementary, for the treatment of tumors. Some studies have shown that heating of tumors facilitates radio and chemotherapy. Krawczyk et al (2011) suggest that high temperatures destroy enzymes that hinder the action of drugs that attack the disease, indicating that heat properly combined with some drugs improve the efficacy of chemotherapy Some studies have shown that heating of tumors facilitates radio and chemotherapy. Krawczyk et al (2011) suggest that high temperatures destroy enzymes that hinder the action of drugs that attack the disease, indicating that heat properly combined with some drugs improve the efficacy of chemotherapy

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