Numerical study on the multi-region bio-heat equation to model magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) using low Curie temperature nanoparticles

Abstract

This study develops and solves two-dimensional convective-conductive coupled partial differential equations based on Pennes' bio-heat transfer model using low Curie temperature nanoparticles (LCTNPs) to illustrate thermal behavior quantitatively within tumor-normal composite tissue by establishing a multi-region finite difference algorithm. The model combines NEel relaxation and temperature-variant saturation magnetization derived from Brillouin Equation and Curie-Weiss Law. The numerical results indicate that different deposition patterns of LCTNP and boundary conditions directly effect the steady state temperature distribution. Compared with high Curie temperature nanoparticles (HCTNPs), optimized distributions of LCTNPs within tumorous tissue can be used to control the temperature increase in tumors for hyperthermia treatment using an external magnetic field while healthy tissue surrounding a tumor can be kept closer to normal body tissue, reducing the side effects observed in whole body and regional hyperthermia therapy.