A new coaxial TEM radiofrequency/microwave applicator for non-invasive deep-body hyperthermia.

At the moment great efforts are being made to develop non-invasive heating systems which produce controlled local or regional deep-body hyperthermia. Electromagnetic interference techniques (10-80 MHz) with several separated applicators or with multiple applicators can produce deep-body heating. In our institute a coaxial frequency-independent TEM radiofrequency/microwave applicator has been designed. This applicator can produce a theoretically optimal interference maximum in the centre of the body. The applicator is very simple to construct and inexpensive. To test the design with the equipment available, a scaled prototype of the TEM applicator has been developed. The prototype has a diameter of 20 cm and operates at 434 MHz. The applicator has been tested on several phantom materials. The measured absorbed power distributions are in good agreement with the calculated theoretical distributions. The theoretical calculations of the absorbed power distributions of a 10-80 MHz TEM deep-body applicator are very encouraging.