Studies on the three-dimensional temperature transients in the canine prostate during transurethral microwave thermal therapy.

Thermal therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia requires accurate prediction of the temperature distribution induced by the heating within the prostatic tissue. In this study, the Pennes bioheat transfer equation was used to model the transient heat transfer inside the canine prostate during transurethral microwave thermal therapy. Incorporating the specific absorption rate of microwave energy in tissue, a closed-form analytical solution was obtained. Good agreement was found between the theoretical predictions and in-vivo experimental results. Effects of blood perfusion and the cooling at the urethral wall on the temperature rise were investigated within the prostate during heating. The peak intraprostatic temperatures attained by application of 5, 10, or 15 W microwave power were predicted to be 38 degrees C, 41 degrees C, and 44 degrees C. Results from this study will help optimize the thermal dose that can be applied to target tissue during the therapy.