Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy with a Microwave Ablation Antenna.

Microwave ablation is a technique used to treat tumorous tissue. Its clinical use has been greatly expanding in the last few years. Because the design of the ablation antenna and the success of the treatment greatly depend on the accurate knowledge of the dielectric properties of the tissue being treated, it is highly valuable to have a microwave ablation antenna that is also able to perform in-situ dielectric spectroscopy.

Broadband Microwave Electroporation Device for the Analysis of the Influence of Frequency, Temperature and Electrical Field Strength.

In this paper, a broadband microwave device for cell poration is presented, that enables the analysis of the relation between frequency, electrical field strengths and temperature for a successful cell poration. Electromagnetic-thermal coupled simulations in the frequency range from 1 GHz to 10 GHz show that the device reaches electrical field strengths of 100 V/cm and temperatures lower then 40°C. Electroporation experiments with adherent C2C12 mouse myoblast cells show successful uptake of an anti-histone γ -H2A.

Numerical Optimization of an Open-Ended Coaxial Slot Applicator for the Detection and Microwave Ablation of Tumors.

A multiobjective optimization method for a dual-mode microwave applicator is proposed. Dual-modality means that microwaves are used apart from the treatment, and also for the monitoring of the microwave ablation intervention. (1) The use of computational models to develop and improve microwave ablation applicator geometries is essential for further advances in this field.