Analysis and Optimization of Crucial Factors Affecting Efficacy of Microwave Ablation

Abstract

Microwave ablation (MA) has emerged as a better and more promising alternative to medicate the primitive stage of cancer. Significant advantages of MA include organ-specific treatment and the prospect of treating ≥3 cm diameter tumors with minimal pain and nominal cost. Past studies suggest that tissue properties and input parameters play a vital role during the MA process. Hence, an in-depth investigation has been made to inspect the influence of these crucial parameters: applied power, perfusion rate of blood, frequency, thermal conductivity (TC), electrical conductivity (EC), and relative permittivity (RP) on the dimension of ablation zone attained while treating with MA on Lungs. The finite element method (FEM)-based analysis with a numerical approach is considered to signify the parameters' sole effect on the ablation volume. Using the statistical tool, a regression equation was formulated, and the data derived from the Taguchi L27 orthogonal array helped to get the maximized ablation zone. The results infer that the applied power remarkably affects the response with a positive correlation. Additionally, frequency and blood perfusion rate were observed to significantly influence the treatment process. The following optimal settings, power3, frequency3, blood perfusion rate3, electrical conductivity3, thermal conductivity2, and relative permittivity2, were found along with the maximized ablation volume of 14.35 mm3. The results obtained from this work would be beneficial for the radiologist and the clinical practitioners to get pretreatment data during the initial phase.