Effects of heat-induced damage on the radial component of thermal diffusivity of bovine aorta.

The extent of the change in thermal diffusivity of soft tissues due to heat-induced damage is not well known. Reported here are the results of using the flash method to measure the through-the-wall component of thermal diffusivity of bovine aorta before and after the tissue has undergone two hours of heating at 75 degrees C. The measurements indicate a 10.1 percent increase in the thermal diffusivity of the tissue post-heating. While this change may not result in a significant change in the tissue temperature profile, further study is needed to quantify the thermal diffusivity in other coordinate directions, as well as the mechanisms by which this change in properties occurs.